Shackling the Demon
by Aerilon452
Summary: Helen gets a note from Nikola alluding to a gift for her. Only the gift is in the form of a bloody and nearly dead John Druitt with a device in his chest which of Vampiric origins
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Helen gets a note from Nikola alluding to a gift for her. Only the gift is in the form of a bloody and nearly dead John Druitt with a device in his chest which of Vampiric origins.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary or of Blood Ties for which I borrow one thing out of.

Rating: M

Pairing: Helen and John.

**SHACKLING THE DEMON:**

You know how you get that feeling that something was going to happen? Not that it was good or bad; just that something was going to happen. It was just that deep seeded feeling that came with over one hundred years of life. Something was going to happen, Helen just new it. Of course she thought that most of her excitement would come in the form of the new rare abnormal that she and her team had just captured on the plains of Africa . The beast had been hard to capture, though, in the end worth all the scratches ad bruises obtained on the mission. Helen rotated her shoulder and felt the healing claw marks at her right shoulder healing. She had made a note that when this particular hybrid was cornered it turned very violent. It had been better that Helen get cut up than Will or Kate, seeing how fast Helen could heal. The creature had been marvelous; bearing the stripes of a tiger, the coloring of a lion, and the long curved incisors of a Saber Tooth. Helen had felt like it was Christmas.

But, when she walked into her office Helen spied a note on her desk, with that familiar hand writing; Nikola Tesla. Helen was of half of mind to disregard the note and get on with her days agenda, which happened to be the unloading of the new abnormal. She had a feeling that she knew what the note would pertain to. The note would probably inquire as to her progress into re-vamping him. Helen should just ignore it, yet, she sat down at her desk with letter opener in hand.

_Helen,_

_Meet me; I have a gift for you._

_Tesla_

_P.S: You're still __hot._

Helen balled the note up in her hands, intent on throwing it away. Nikola's 'gifts' had a way of backfiring. Opening the note up again she saw an address scrawled in the lower right hand corner. It was an address for a subway platform. Helen had two choices. One she could toss the note away and get on with her days plans or Two: she could gear up and go to the subway and see what Tesla had for her. Knowing her mind the way she did, Helen was up and out of her chair grabbing her car keys and gun. She wouldn't be caught unprepared, not when there was an ex-vampire in the mix. Helen left her Sanctuary to go and meet with Nikola Tesla. 'I should have my head examined.' Helen thought as she slid behind the wheel of her 2009 black Mustang. The car rumbled to life and Helen was speeding through the gates and heading towards the address Nikola had given her.

**SUBWAY:**

It was mostly dark except for the flickering of one back of over head lights. Helen walked slowly down the wide steps and made a quick sweep of the room with her flash light, resisting the urge to draw her gun. The only life to be found was a man sitting against a support strut, slumped over. Probably a homeless person passed out. Helen moved further out onto the platform, further out into sight and found no one, not even Nikola. 'Surprise surprise,' Helen thought. This had only been one of Nikola's stupid games and Helen had been lured into it. A groan, pain filled, echoed on the silence. Helen turned and drew her gun, instinct rising. She shown her light on the man and moved closer. It was John. Helen rushed to him, all thoughts of caution fleeing her mind. Crouching down in front of him, she barely had time to examine his wounds before his hands shot out, cupped the back of her head and pulled her close so he could anchor his mouth to hers. His lips were something that Helen would never forget, not even. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed away from him, severing the connection their lips had made. Helen felt something warm and sticky on her right hand, it was his blood. Looking down at his chest, John's shirt front was covered in blood.

"Oh, John," Helen's fingers flew to his pulse point, it was weak and thready. If she didn't get him out of here, he might not make it. There was too much blood for her liking and more covered his chest, soaking into his shirt and oozing down to coat his trousers as well. This was the worst she had ever seen John and she hated it, hated seeing him bloody and broken lying on a dirty floor, and she hated suspecting that it was Nikola who had inflicted John's injuries.

"I see you found my gift." Nikola stepped out of the shadows, much like he had in Bhalasamm and was nearly face to face with Helen's gun barrel. For a moment Nikola thought that Helen might shoot him. He could see the slight tensing of her trigger finger and he felt fear slither up his spine. Just then if he made the wrong move Nikola feared that Helen would indeed shoot him.

"What did you do to him Nikola?" She snarled and cupped John's pale cheek in her left hand. His flesh was so cold; too much blood had been lost. Helen had to look very carefully for the subtle rise and fall of his chest to know that he was still breathing.

"Before you get all mad, I only did what he asked." Nikola crouched by Helen and cocked his head to the side. Some small part of him felt sorry for the pain that John was enduring, but then he beat it back down. There was no feeling sorry for psychopath who murdered and continued to hurt Helen at every turn. He had no idea what had possessed him to help Druitt, then he knew what. Nikola had also done this for Helen.

"Since when do you do what anyone asks?" Helen asked. She scowled at him and let all her displeasure bleed through her tightly wound control. This was not how she wanted to help John, and she was mad at him even though he was the one injured and very close to death yet again. She moved aside his bloody shirt and saw what looked like an external pace maker with tiny pliant copper tendrils inserted into his skin' the pattern almost resembled that of a sun. Without a detailed scan she wouldn't be able to tell if they fed into his heart or not. That meant taking him to the Sanctuary, "Nikola I need you to help me get him to my car."

"What's in it for me?" Nikola asked. It was a habit to bate Helen and if he did much more of it, he just might end up getting shot today.

"Nikola!" Helen shouted. She cringed inward at the sound of fear and pain in her own voice. Seeing John bloody and near death; it hurt her heart. She had steeled her heart against him, but all her defenses came crashing down the moment he said he loved her. In that moment she was back to being the young woman who fell in love with him at Oxford . Right now she needed to be the Doctor and not some love struck woman. John looked near death and she needed to get him to the Sanctuary. If they wasted too much time, John might not survive. And that thought scared her. John had been on her mind constantly since his departure nearly a month ago. He had forced her hand in killing him and by accident Helen had severed that things hold on John, but in the process it had taken over her Sanctuary nearly killing them all. John had once again had to take that thing into him just to save all their lives, to save her life.

"Oh, all right." The ex-vampire groaned, rising to his feet. He, with Helen on the other side, lifted John so he stood on his own feet. One of his arms was across Helen's shoulders and John's other arm was across Nikola's. Together they got John up and slowly made their way to the steps. Everyone in a while Tesla glanced over and looked at Helen; she had lines of worry and fear on her face, and it was all for John. There was something so tragic in the knowledge that Helen still loved John; that she would always love him. After all Nikola had only done what John had asked, though, in the grand scheme of things it had been a bad idea. This was the second time Nikola had taxed his brilliance to save that psychopaths life; that should at least ingratiate him to Helen, but she regarded him with nothing but suspicion. Then again Tesla knew the woman he loved; she would blame him for John's death and then her heart would break leaving more sadness in its wake.

**HELEN'S CAR:**

The pair managed to get John up the steps and into the front seat of her Mustang. In retrospect not the best car Helen could have taken, but then again she didn't really know that she was coming to find a half dead John Druitt. She would have to make do. Before she could drive back to her beloved home, Helen would have to put a temporary bandage over the wound until she could dress it properly. Going to her trunk she rummaged through the med kit and came back to the front with gauze and tape. At least this would hold for the time being. She was careful not to put too much pressure on the device while she taped the gauze over the wounds that still bled.

"Nikola, get in the car." Helen ordered. She didn't want to have to get into a debate with him. As far as Helen was concerned Nikola had created John's current situation and Nikola could damn well help her fix it.

"I've done what I set out to do. He's here, he's yours, and I see no reason…" The Ex-vampire started to make excuses but Helen cut him off.

"Get. In. The. Car." Helen bit out each word and made sure Nikola could see the anger and the rage boiling in her eyes. She was so mad at Tesla that she could hardly stand to look at him. Of all the immature, irresponsible things for him to do, what he had done to John had been the worse. And not only had it been worse, it had been sloppy. Just like Tesla's first attempts at reviving vampires as a species.

Without another protest Nikola slide into the back seat behind the driver and strapped himself in for the ride back to Sanctuary. Helen slid into the driver's seat, turned the key, and kicked the car into drive. Tesla could actually feel the temperature in the car plummeting while Helen took each street at a high speed and yet somehow managed not to kill them all.

**SANCTUARY:**

Helen had left Nikola and John in the car so she could run into the Sanctuary and get a gurney. Instead she found Will and Big Foot. Rather than tell them what was going on she tossed out orders for the few things she would need and rushed back out to her car and to Jon who was growing weaker by the second. She knew the two men had kept pace with her and before she could tell them what needed done they jumped into action getting John out of the front seat and getting him to the gurney. With her every step her hear beat just a little faster and her mind played scenario's where John was gone, dead and buried in the ground. That was something she was not prepared to face just yet. Helen had already buried the memory of her daughter, she was not about to bury John as well. Before she knew it they were in the infirmary and It was time for Helen to be the Doctor she had trained to. With muscle memory Helen affixed different electrodes to monitor John's heart, his pulse, and his respiration. She started an IV solution that had antibodies, saline solution for dehydration from blood loss, and other nutrients he would need to regain strength, along with a unit of O+ blood. All of this was done without the aide of her mind. All that raced through her mind was the thought, 'Please don't die, I need you too much.'

"For now all we can do is wait." Helen stripped off her gloves. She should go to her office, sit down and plane for the arrival of the new abnormal, but she couldn't tear herself away. If John got any worse she wanted to be close. There was a sinking feeling that Helen would have to transfuse John with her own blood before the night was out. That would only be done as a last result. Right now she had to figure out what that thing was in his chest. It reminded her of a vampire device she had seen sketched once. Helen had managed to obtain a book from the records hall of Bhalasamm.

"It looks like a sun." Big Foot said from Helen's right side.

"Yes, it looks like the _Iluminacia Del Sol_. During the Spanish inquisition a Vampire posing as a priest invented it to destroy the heart of a witch or heretic after they confessed their sins, a quick death rather than drowning or being burned at the stake. But something is off about this design." Helen leaned over John and tried to still her heart.

"That's because it works like a pace maker, only it sends the electrical charge through the entire body, not just the heart," Nikola stood in the doorway leaning against the wall like he had nothing better to do.

"What does it do?" Will asked.

"Every time the heart beats, the device builds up a charge and when it is at full capacity the device discharges an electric shock essentially keeping that thing inside him dormant." He replied and changed position.

"That's really clever…" Will ran his hand through his hair and looked over to Magnus.

"But Nikola didn't invent it." Helen spoke. She new he couldn't have. This was of vampire design but not Tesla's. Certainly he hadn't gotten it from Bhalasamm, it looked to recently crafted for the degradation of the former city of ancient vampires.

"Helen, you wound." Nikola splayed his fingers over his heart and imitated a hurt expression. He knew of course that he didn't invent that, he had only hoped that Helen wouldn't figure it out so quickly. But then again he knew Helen and how smart she was. Nothing could get past her; except for Druitt. John Druitt was the only chink left in Helen's emotional armor. He could see that Helen's right hand still held the red stain of John's blood. Rather than letting her go around with blood on her hands, Nikola moved to the sink and wet a cloth before handing it to her so she could wipe her hand clean. After she was done Helen threw the cloth back at him.

"I'll do more than that," She growled sitting down in the chair next to John. If the room hadn't been filled with people she would have taken his hand. A small gesture that she hoped he would have felt.

**LAT ER THAT NIGHT:**

The day had gone on around her and she barely noticed. All Helen Magnus had seen was John Druitt barely breathing, hanging on to the last little bit of life he had. Her hand kept going to the thin chain she wore constantly these days, at least after the last time John had been in the Sanctuary. The chain held only one thing; a ring. It was the engagement ring John had used to prose to her with. In the long years since then she had never gotten rid of it; that small part of her heart that still loved John refused to let her discard the ring. She knew she should be furious with Nikola, in fact she was, but her worry for John trumped all other emotions. The door opened and Helen heard the shuffling heavy foot steps of her man servant and friend; Big Foot. She smelled foot and instantly felt very hungry.

"You should eat." His rumbling voice lowered to something he considered a whisper.

Helen craned her neck to look at him and replied, "I'm not hungry, but thank you." She turned back to study the monitors that were hooked to John. She had stared at them for hours just being constantly reassured that he was still alive. Helen needed John to live; she wanted him to stay alive. '_I love you. Remember that, always.'_ Those words had been the single greatest thing and the single worst thing she had ever heard in her life. They were John's way of telling her good by. But she wasn't going to let him go. He had promised her eternity, now she was going to collect. If Tesla's device did what he said it would do then it was possible that she could have her John back. That thought scared and thrilled her. Tomorrow would be soon enough to ask Nikola where he got it.

Suddenly a tray appeared, "Eat." His hand patted her shoulder lightly and Helen relented, just this once, and only because she was really hungry, not because he told her to. She removed the top and smelled roast beef with gravy. It was one of her favorite meals. Knowing that he would stay, Helen took a few bites of her late meal and felt instantly better. The last time she had eaten had been last night and even then it hadn't been substantial. Helen had been too busy with making preparations for the new abnormal, and she had been too excited at having it housed in her Sanctuary rather than London or Mumbai. Lately she had been skimming her body's endurance level without sustenance; eventually she was going to do damage to herself, but not as long as she had her friend by her side and watching her like a hawk.

"How's his condition?"

"Not good. His heat beat is weak, respiration is shallow, and his pulse is thready at best. If I didn't know he was so strong, I would be scared that he wouldn't last the night." Helen took a sip of her tea to hydrate her parched throat. She was only voicing the fears that were deep in her mind to the only other man she could. He had been her man servant for well over fifty years, had seen her do and say many things, and never passed judgment on her. Now, it was John who was in serious trouble; all Helen could do was worry and worry she did.

"Don't spend all night here," Big Foot said as he moved away from his friend's side. Somehow he knew that she would indeed spend all night by Druitt's side. For as long as he has known her he never understood the bond Helen could never sever with Druitt, but now he did understand. After all these years Helen was still in love his Druitt. Big Foot had heard from Henry about what had happened before the entity had been stopped. He knew the turmoil that had to be going on inside of her.

"Don't micro manage me," Helen shot back, but there was no anger in her voice, just a slight trace of humor. She hated when people went of their way to take care of her. It made her teeth itch and her sense of independence falter.

Helen waited until she heard the door close before she pushed the food tray away. As hungry as she had been her appetite soon abated with the second bite. She kept the worry off of her face, but not out of her heart. John had asked her why she had brought him back, right then she hadn't answered him, not because she didn't know the answer but because the repercussions of that answer was something Helen was not ready for. She wasn't ready to admit to him how much she needed him alive and well. John was part of her link to Ashley. He had been the father of her daughter, their child and that was a bond that wasn't easily broken. John still owned her heart, he always would and that would leave Helen vulnerable to him at all times. When she had been with him in that cell she had seen the man he used to be, the man se had loved and wanted to marry. The knowledge of that deeply wounded her, so much so that when he had taken the creature back into himself again Helen had wanted to cry and let her heart break all over. Only she hadn't allowed that to happen. When she could Helen had looked for all sorts of ways to contain the entity after she found John again, but finding him had been the problem. John always did know how to cover his tracks. She had hidden her search from everyone because she wasn't ready to admit that the monster who had invaded John had been responsible for ruining her life all those years ago, it hadn't been John, it had been that electrical thing. Helen knew it, but said it had been too easy to blame everything on the demon within him.

It was more than even that, though. Helen was afraid to be the last of the Victorian era, he last to remember days of an age were scientists made discoveries every day, and last of the Five. She never thought that she would end up being the last of the Five. Nikola had been a vampire and his body would stay young, but then he had started up his project to resurrect his people and inadvertently taken away his gifts. John had only lived so long because of her and her blood. _Beep! Beep!_ The heart monitor pulled Helen out of her morbid thoughts and to John's side. His heart rate had dropped and his pulse was getting weaker. She pushed five of epi and waited. In his current state she didn't want to do chest compressions for fear of opening some of the wounds that had stopped bleeding; that only left her the option of waiting to see if drugs would jump start his heart. Helen didn't even want to use the defibrillator just in case it had a negative reaction with the device in his chest. The monitor registered a steady, shallow heart beat after a few tense seconds and Helen relaxed marginally. Much more of this and Helen would have no choice but to transfuse him. She had given him two units of O+ blood but the regular blood hadn't done anything for his abnormal physiology. Soon the only solution would be her blood, but last time it was her blood that had given the creature strength over John. Shaking her head Helen pulled away from John and went about gathering what she would need to do a direct transfusion, even as bad as she thought the idea was; she was not about to lose someone else, not even John.

**WILL'S OFFICE:**

Will ha d stayed up late working on some of the paper work he had let go to the way side. He was filling out reports on many of the new abnormals Magnus had arranged to be housed here. All the while he was making sure to keep an eye on what was going on in the infirmary. It was an abuse of the Sanctuary's security cameras but he was worried about Magnus, and the slightest bit worried about Druitt. The worry for Druitt had shocked him, down right caught him by surprise. Of course he had seen the mess of blood and clothing and the device cutting into his chest. One would have to be a cold heartless monster not to feel for him.

The last time he had looked at his screen Magnus was trying to get John's heart to beat after nearly flat lining. He was getting ready to go and help her out when the monitor quieted and Helen sat back down by his side. Will hadn't seen Magnus this concerned about anyone since Ashley. He had made sure to check on her after the last time Druitt had been a guest here. Every time he thought back to the incident Will could hear Druitt telling Magnus he loved her. That kind of declaration was bound to mess with anyone's head, including the head of his boss and friend. Her movement caught Will's attention and he figured that she was just getting more gauze and tape for the bandage. Will focused on the reports and tried not to check the monitor every five minutes in regards to Magnus.

**INFIRMARY:**

Helen had gotten what she had needed for a direct transfusion. She tied a tourniquet around her bare upper arm, pumping her fist until she had a bulging vein. Wiping the area with an alcohol prep pad, she looked at John one more time before sliding the butterfly needle home in her left arm. She repeated the action and slid the other needle into the IV line already in John's right arm. Taking a deep breath Helen turned the yellow knob in the middle of the tubing and watched as her blood flowed into him. The danger was not lost on her, but it was her last resort. His heart could flat line and she might not be able to get it started again. Helen sat back down in the chair and stretched out her arm so the blood could flow better, before she knew it her head was down on the mattress and her eyes were threatening to shut. She could hold on, stay awake, for a few more minutes, Helen knew she could. She had to for John's sake. Minutes past as if hours and Helen found it harder and harder to stay awake. Soon her eyes were closing and Helen had her head down on the bed next to John's hand.

_Helen opened her eyes to see a theatre, the same theatre she and John had frequented to see 12__th__ Night; John's favored play. This made no sense; she was in the infirmary with John. And then it hit her, she had passed out while she was giving him a direct transfusion. It had been the only other solution available to her and she was not going to be responsible for letting John die, not when she could do something to prevent it._

"_Helen?"_

_She turned to see John, not present John, but her John; the John who had taken her to plays and made her laugh. He was dressed in black evening suit with his hair tied back and held in place by a white ribbon. John looked amazing. She found her heart beating faster and faster just at the sight of how he had used to look, "John?"_

"_Where are we? The last thing I can recall is kissing you, then nothing just blackness." John reached out his hand to her and was pleased when she took it._

"_I don't know John; all I know is that I was transfusing you…" She started to say but John interrupted her._

"_You're giving me your blood?"_

"_Yes, I am. John you were dying and I…"_

"You have to stop Helen; you have to let me go. Why would you bring me back?"

"_It's what I do. More of a compulsion really." Helen lied, she knew she was lying and so did John. He knew her like no other man alive._

"_You're lying," John moved closer to her, cupped her cheeks and continued, "I need a reason to live; you have to give me that reason."_

"_I… don't want to lose you. I'm tired of being alone night after night…"_

"Magnus!"

Helen was barely aware of the hands that were pulling her back. She had dreamed of John, felt his hands on her face. In that dream realm she had told him that she needed him. It was true; she was so tired of being alone, of watching people she loved being ravaged by time. John was her one constant, the one thing her life she wanted.

Opening her eyes Helen looked at Will and Big Foot, "Did it work?" She asked settling back into the chair.

Will looked from his boss to the monitors attached to Druitt and noted the elevated heart beat, steady pulse, and strong respiration. It was a lucky thing he had looked checked on her when he had from his office. He had nearly missed the tube running from her arm to Druitt's, "He's fine Magnus, but you're not. Big Guy, I need some help." Will gently eased the tube out of her arm and then did the same for Druitt. As he disposed of the tubing the Big Guy lifted Magnus into his arms and placed her on the next gurney.

"Did it work?" She repeated. She needed to know in more detail, but her mind wouldn't absorb the information. Helen wanted to sleep, but not before knowing if it worked or not.

"It worked Helen," Big Foot answered before he stepped away and over to Will, "I need you to stay with her." He left to go to the kitchen and retrieve orange juice and something for her to eat. If she wasn't passed out by the time he got back she would need the vitamins and the food to help replenish her strength after what she had done.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: Helen gets a note from Nikola alluding to a gift for her. Only the gift is in the form of a bloody and nearly dead John Druitt with a device in his chest which of Vampiric origins.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary

Rating: M

Pairing: Helen and John.

**SHACKLING THE DEMON:**

**THE NEXT MORNING:**

Helen was slowly surfacing out of her exhausted sleep. The last thing she remembered was being picked up and placed on one of the beds in the infirmary, then nothing after that; she had descended into darkness where no dreams had come. Lifting her head she saw the remnants of a needle track. She had given John her blood, and not just one vial, she had flat out transfused him. What had she been thinking? She had been thinking about not loosing another person she cared about, and she did still care about John try as she might to convince herself that she didn't need him. This was John Druitt after all; he had been one of her best friends, her lover, and the father of her child. She would always need him.

She tried to sit up but her body refused. In the back of her hand Helen could see she had her own IV line. How bad had she ended up last night? She couldn't have given John that much of her own blood. Then she realized that she had no idea how much time had passed between her starting the transfusion and then Will finding her. Helen craned her neck to look at John; he was still unconscious but she could see the monitors and they were reading his stats as normal. John was on the mend. She on the other hand was weak and hungry. Not eating much last night was bound to bite her in the ass, and now it was.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Will came over and sat down next to Magnus gently taking her hand.

"This is living?" Helen chuckled slightly and held up her hand that had the IV imbedded in her flesh.

"The Big Guy wouldn't have to do that had you not given Druitt sp much of your blood. You had passed out by the time the Big Guy came back with orange juice and something for you to eat." Will spoke softly and angled his head to give her a look that said 'were you insane?' But he knew his boss. Magnus probably thought it had been and acceptable risk at the time.

"It had to be done Will, no matter my motivations." Her head started to swim and her vision was getting blurry. She would either pass out again or get hungry. Helen would have much preferred to go back to sleep, but her body was going to riot for food and drink soon. She might as well stay awake. Helen braced her elbows in the mattress and tried to push herself up, but her strength was still on the low side. As much as she hated to, Helen held out her free arm and gestured for Will to help her.

"I can understand why you did it," Will mentioned as he helped to settle her more comfortably in a sitting position. He had seen the chain with the ring on it the night before when he and the Big Guy were getting her settled and hooked up to monitors as well.

"Really? You understand why?" Helen asked. Over and over she could here John, her John, saying that he loved her. That night dreams of him had plagued her with bittersweet memories and wants that had been taken from her.

"Come on Magnus, I was there when he said he loved you. That is bound to mess with anyone's head, including yours." He knew that it was messing with his head. That kind of declaration should be reserved for a private confrontation, not something to be blurted out in the open. Then again Will could understand the time crunch they had been. John wanted Helen to know that he still loved her and it just so happened that almost everyone had been around when he said. Will hadn't seen the look on her face, but he could guess Magnus was shocked and had a moment of heart break.

"I had entirely different motivations, Dr. Zimmerman," Helen turned her head away. She didn't like the route this conversation was going.

"Oh, ok, I'll stop," It had been a long time and a submarine ago when Magnus had called him by his title. She hadn't liked his questions back then either. When they had been on the sub, she had the luxury of leaving the room.

"What?" Helen looked back at him to see that Will has a slight smile on his face.

"You called me 'Dr. Zimmerman' and turned your head." He sighed and glanced at Druitt, "I get that I pry and that you have history with him. Nothing about that is easy; you were in love with Jack the Ripper."

"Some would say that I still love him," Helen muttered. Just having a short time with her John, then losing him again had torn her heart asunder. She was beginning to question if she still could hate him after the lengths she had gone to just to save his life. In her dream John had asked her to give him a reason for him to live and she had. Helen had become his reason for life, because she wanted him to live, needed him to live.

"Do you?" Will asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

Helen didn't answer because she wasn't sure of her answer. There were times where she would feel her love for John so much that it would nearly choke her, and then there were times that she would be filled with such a raw seething hatred that she wasn't sure who she would lash out at. Love and Hate would always be constant between her and John. She didn't know which would win and she wasn't sure which emotion she would want to triumph.

"Food should be up soon, until then rest." Will patted Magnus's shoulder lightly and smiled his slightly boyish smile.

"Are you giving me orders?" She asked.

"Would you listen?" Will made his response a question and one he already knew the answer to.

She scrunched up her nose and shook her head, "Not really." Helen answered and Will knew it was the truth. She was used to doing things her own way and giving all the orders.

"Then I am making a suggestion." Will smiled and left Magnus to rest. Of course he doubted that she would. More than likely she would shift to her side and watch Druitt like she had before giving him a lot of her blood. He didn't want to make any assumptions but he would surmise that his boss was still very much emotionally invested in Druitt. And it was even more apparent that Druitt wanted Magnus back.

**OLD CITY:**

Tesla had seen Helen on one of the monitors giving Druitt her blood so he could live. It made Nikola furious beyond belief. As much as that psycho Druitt had doe to her, she was still willing to save his life. But, he had to remind himself, this was all part of the larger plan. One of the grand architects had asked for his help in maneuvering Helen and John into position for the final phases of the plan to commence. If all went well Tesla would be his Vampiric self again. He could hardly wait for it to happen. He missed the power that came with his vampire genes. He just plain missed being cool, and Vampires were cool.

Nikola turned down a side street and opened the door to an abandoned building where his meeting was to take place. How cliché was it for an ancient Vampire to request a meet in a dark dank building. His people weren't allergic to the sun. That was just a lie perpetuated by the church so many centuries ago; it was beyond insulting. Shaking his head the ex-vampire leaned against a semi clean wall and waited.

"Hello there, my son." A voice came out of the dark with a Romanian accent.

"Cliché much?" Nikola asked the dark shadow and smiled when Claudius walked gracefully out of the shadows.

"I just find it funny," He responded and his did find it funny. Oh how humans demeaned the vampire race, "Is it done?"

"Yes, Helen has given that psycho Druitt her blood." Nikola growled. He still hated the fact that he was helping to push Helen and John back together. Nikola wanted Helen all to himself, he loved her.

"Good," Claudius turned and rubbed his hands together the way you would see a cartoon bad guy do.

"How is that 'good'? Druitt is a psycho, he doesn't deserve Helen." Nikola grumbled. It was his jealousy talking, he knew it was, but he could stop the hate that poured from him and was directed at Druitt. John had gotten everything he had ever wanted, and all Tesla had ever wanted was Helen.

"Your, associate, is in possession of something that belongs to us, to the vampire nation." Claudius stepped close to his errant child; Nikola was very much a child, ignorant of his vampiric nature that was going to be gifted to him for a second time.

"That malevolent abnormal that bonded with him?"

"Yes, the chaos demon we created," He placed a hand on Nikola's shoulder, squeezed and then let go.

"But why Helen?" It pained Nikola to maneuver his like this.

Claudius sighed. He knew this would be hard for Nikola, not the lying or maneuvering, but placing Helen in harms way and placing her with a man who, in Nikola's eyes, was not worthy of her. But Claudius saw more than Nikola could. He was one of the few vampires with the gift of foresight and he had seen what lay before Helen; her path lie with John, "She is a source of power for the demon, Helen must stay with Druitt."

Nikola wanted to back out, run for his hiding place and just find a way to become a vampire on his own. It wasn't as if he had gone looking for Claudius and his little clan of Vampires; he hadn't. They had found him and offered him his true self back. Nikola had jumped at the chance more than he should, but now that he was into it up to his eyeballs there was no other choice than to finish what he had started.

"I will send you Julia tonight to reward you." The Ancient smiled slyly, knowing Tesla would accept. The half breed was chomping at the bit to be an immortal again.

"I'll become a vampire again?" Nikola couldn't stop the note of hope that seeped into his voice.

"Her conversion process if much nicer than mine," Claudius laughed, a great booming sound, at the look of mild panic that flew across Nikola's face. Human expressions were always a pleasure to watch.

**SANCTUARY:**

It was the middle of the afternoon when Helen surfaced from sleep again to see a bowl of fruit and a cup of orange juice in front of her. She would have much preferred a cup of tea but at this point she wasn't going to argue. Again her intent had been to watch John, make sure he was ok, but her body had dragged her mind down into sleep. Helen knew she needed the rest, but normally she was much more adept at going without. Looking over at John she saw he was still asleep; a good thing for him at this point. She tried to sit up and found that some her strength had returned, not all of it, but enough to allow her to sit up and eat. Helen plucked a slice of melon and chewed it. The taste was sweet and a wonderful flavor fest for her mouth. All this time she had spent sleeping, regaining strength and blood, but now was the time for her to eat and eat she did. She finished the contents of her fruit bowl quickly and downed the orange juice.

"Nice to see you awake," Big Foot growled walking over to Helen's bed. He removed the electrodes that had been monitoring her through the night.

"How long was I asleep?" She had a feeling the number would be in the double digit range.

"14 hours." He gently took her right hand so he could remove the IV needle they had to start on her. Helen sucked in a sharp breath as the needle was removed. He knew that it wasn't from pain; his friend just hated being a patient. There was minimal bleeding and all that would require was a small bandage. Other than that she looked healthier than she had last week, or in the past month.

Helen looked over at John for the millionth time, "Any change so far?"

"None, he's still unconscious."

"I only did what I thought was right." The words left Helen's mouth out of a need to defend her actions, and she had no idea why she was feeling that way.

"I know," Was all he said. Big Foot knew most of Helen's motivations, but never would he have thought would she give Druitt a direct transfusion of her blood.

"Then stop acting as if you're mad at me," Helen grumbled flexing her entire right arm. The scratch marks she had sustained earlier yesterday were still healing; she was healing slower than normal.

"I'm not," Big Foot replied taking his seat next to her again so he could apply a small bandage to the needle mark where her IV had been.

"You could've fooled me," She pointed out and he grunted at her. After a second they smiled and things between them were ok again.

"Just rest."

"I'm tired of resting, but I know I need it." Helen conceded.

"I'll have an update on the new abnormal for you later." Big foot said as he left.

Helen nearly called him back to explain, but the door was already closing behind him. So, now she was stuck in the infirmary again with a near comatose John. He was out of the woods and should have been awake by now. Helen pushed the tray away and swung her leg out of bed. Getting up she walked over to John's bed and sat on the edge making mental notes of his vitals. More than anything she wanted to get a better look at the pace maker like device in his chest. Slowly she peeled back the tape and gauze to see angry red welts and healing cuts. Big Foot had been right when he had said the device imbedded in John's chest resembled a sun. But now her vision wasn't being blurred by tears she could see that some of the copper tendrils were threaded through the veins in his chest. His veins were the conduits for the electric shock induced when the device was at full capacity and his body was the battery. It was ingenious and brutal at the same time.

"Helen…" John rasped and shifted slightly. Helen smoothed down the gauze and tape.

"John," Helen's hands cupped his cheeks slowly turning his face to meet hers, but his eyes were still closed. Maybe he was dreaming of her, at least she hoped that was why he said her name. She sat with him, held his hand and studied him. There was a bandage over his chest keeping his wounds clean, he had electrodes attached to him monitoring his heart rate, his pulse, and he had a tube across the underside of his nose for oxygen. Either Will or Big Foot must have added that sometime in the night as a precaution just in case her blood hadn't done the trick. Helen brought the back of his right hand up to her lips and laid the barest of kisses to his slightly warm flesh.

**OLD CITY: **

Nikola had left Claudius in the warehouse. He had been away from the Sanctuary long enough. When he had left Helen had still been asleep and hopefully when he returned she would be awake and they could talk. The sun was shining bright and raining down golden rays on the dregs that inhabited the dilapidated part of the city. Instantly he knew he didn't belong here. Nikola was dressed in Armani shoes, black tailored trousers, a charcoal grey button up shirt, and a tailored 19th century waist coat. Tonight, if he was lucky, he would become a vampire again; become his true self.

Out on the street Nikola passed a few people, all of whom stared at him like he was out of some foreign painting. More than ever Tesla felt out of place, except within the walls of the Sanctuary; Helen's Sanctuary. She alone could give him something that he had been missing and that was a taste of the old world, of the era they had resided in, should have died in. Still she made him feel connected the world, a world that didn't know he still thrived.

Nikola made quick work of walking back to the Sanctuary; his need to see Helen overriding his common sense. She was a hunger for him, a hunger he would never sate because she was not his. Claudius said she belonged with Druitt, meant to walk the same path. None of this would have happened had his ancestors never created that chaos demon; as they called it. In truth it was just a bad tempered, death craving, energy abnormal that chose to bond with John and make him its home. If the situation wasn't so laughable, Nikola would almost feel sorry for John.

Slipping through the door of the Sanctuary Nikola headed straight to the infirmary. He had the intent of just walking in, but through the small crack he saw Helen sitting on the edge of John's bed and she was holding hid hand. If he moved just a step closer he could hear her talking about past memories. She was telling him about walks in the park they had taken, their first Christmas as a couple, and most of all she was talking about Ashley and what she had been like as a small child. In a moment of conscience Nikola left and let Helen be. It wasn't like she was going anywhere any time soon; Nikola could always come back.

Helen had heard Nikola approach. She wasn't sure how she knew it was him; she just knew. But John was her primary focus; he had to be. Her blood should have healed him by now; John should be awake. She wanted him to wake up so she could stare into his shimmering blue yes, eyes that had captivated her when she had first known him. Helen wanted anything for him to smile at her, that wicked sinister smile that made her melt inside.

Helen moved away from John and went over to one of the cabinets to retrieve a bottle of peroxide and some q-tips. She had neglected cleaning the scratches yesterday, but now she had some time on her hands, even though they were healing. Sitting on her own bed Helen removed her black short sleeved button shirt and moved aside the thin strap of her camisole undershirt. Dried blood coated the top layer of the cuts. She dipped the q-tip into the peroxide and bit her bottom lip as she began to clean the scratch marks. As much as she hated it, the peroxide would clean out any germs that had set into her flesh. The natural immunity of the Source Blood would protect her from any other infection.

"Helen…" John's rasping voice had her turning to look at him. She saw crystal blue eyes and for a moment she just got lost in them, got lost in the sight of him. Rather than say anything Helen rose from her own bed and went to his side. Being a Doctor came first, she checked his heart rate and his pulse.

After a few moments Helen asked, "Are you ok?"

"I feel weird," his voice was rough and deep. John needed water to quench his parched throat, "Water… please."

Helen moved to the small fridge and grabbed a bottle of water for John as she listened to him sit up. 'At least he had more strength than I did upon waking.' She thought and smiled to herself. It was pure and unadulterated relief that coursed through her veins. John was awake and he seemed to be on the mend. Turning back to him Helen saw he was staring at her intently, mapping every inch of her. It was then that she remembered that she was in tight black pants and a black camisole top. Now was not the time to be embarrassed by her choice of wardrobe. After all John had seen her naked. He could handle what she was wearing, "Here."

John took the cold bottle from her hand and popped the cap. He drank deep, the cold water soothing his dry throat. If there was a heaven it wouldn't have felt half as good as the feeling of cold water going down his dry throat. Nothing could compare right then and there. Lowering the bottle he recapped the bottle and noticed that he drank half the contents. That didn't hold his interest long, Helen was sitting before him. She was so close; he just hoped she was not a dream. John reached out to touch her, to caress her face, but found that he was hooked on something. Looking down at his hand he saw he had an IV. What had he needed that for? Then his mind took stock of all the aches and pains in his body, first and foremost was the pain in his chest due to the device Tesla had put there. John had gone to Nikola out of desperation because he knew that the ex-vampire would do the one thing Helen could not. Nikola would make sure to cause him as much pain as possible while he put the device in John's chest. After the way he had left the sanctuary the last time, '_I love you. Remember that, always.'_ Those words had struck a cord in Helen; he had seen it in her eyes. The words had rung true and he knew just then that a flicker of her love for him still burned bright in her heart. Even if he had asked her to do what he required, there was no guarantee that she would cause him the pain the demon needed to sleep. John had learned form his brief furlough of freedom that the one thing to make the monster quiet was pain, lots of pain.

Helen looked at the back of John's hand as well, just before she removed the needle. All of his SATs were coming back up and staying strong. He wouldn't need the IV anymore, not with her blood flowing through him, making him stronger as well as the malevolent entity. She was still kicking herself about that one, but it was worth it to see him, to be able to look into his eyes, "How do you feel?"

"You're hurt," John lifted his left hand to her right shoulder and ran his fingers over the scratches that marred her delicate flesh. He ignored her question out of concern for her and the injury on her shoulder.

"I'll be fine," Helen moved his hand, "How about you?" What she really wanted to do was yell and scream at him and feel hurt over the fact that John had gone to Nikola for help and not come back to her; he hadn't come back.

John knew the look Helen was giving him; she was mad, but waiting until her ire rose and then she would let him have it. For right now he was safe because he was in one of the beds in her infirmary at her Sanctuary. The last thing he remembered was the plat form and kissing Helen. Even with his eyes closed he had known it was her; she had the lips of a Goddess and they were as soft as rose petals. They were something no living man would ever forget, "My chest hurts, but the pain is somewhat less than when you found me before," He tried to joke but the withering stare Helen gave him made John pause. Coupled with the anger he could see the smallest glint of hurt; Helen was hurt and John had caused it. He was always hurting her in some form.

Helen nodded and rose. She was about to step away when John slid his hand into hers, "Why did you do it Helen?" His voice was soft and calm, slightly weak and still filled with sleep. She wanted to answer, but she couldn't make the words fall from her lips. Helen turned, leveling her gaze to meet his eyes.

"I'm tired of losing people," A deep intake of breath filled her lungs, "I'm tired of losing you, John. I'm so tired."

John pulled Helen back down to the side of his bed. He was more himself than he ever had been in the last 100 years. It wasn't by Helen's hand, it was by that of Tesla's that he now felt normal, "Helen…" He didn't know what to say to her. Instead he just moved over as much as he was able and motioned for her to lie down beside him.

Doctor Helen Magnus, friend to the abnormals, felt exhausted. Curling into his side she was mindful not drape her arm over his upped chest. Instead she lightly rested it over his waist. She was asleep before her head cushioned on his shoulder.

John sighed, felt his heart heal, and his soul felt less troubled. This was the Helen he remembered; the Helen who would curl into his side with out a second thought, and with no hesitation at falling asleep in his arms. He just hoped that this Helen stayed for a while. John leaned his head back into the pillow and fell back into the sleep of an injured man on the mend. Tomorrow would be soon enough to talk, and explain why he went to Nikola and why he had not come back to Helen for her help.

**LATER THAT NIGHT:**

Nikola waited for Julia. She would have to take her time slipping into the Sanctuary and then making her way to his temporary room. He sat on the edge of the bed; his patience warring with his anxious nature. Julia should be here soon; he wanted her to be here so he could become a vampire again. All he would need was a taste of her blood, just a taste of her sweet intoxicating blood and he would be reborn. But she had to get here first, whenever that was going to be. Nikola tapped his foot and was about to get up and pace when the door to his quarters creaked open. In the doorway the most beautiful woman stood adorned in a put white silk dress that hugged her and hinted at what was underneath. There were no straps to speak of, just two thin ties over her shoulders holding the light silk to her body.

"Thank God, it's about time you got here," Nikola huffed. He was not a patient man, nor would he ever be.

"Be patient, you will have your reward soon enough," Julia crooned. Her voice was a light lilting melody upon the air. Out of no where she produced a knife where she ran it teasingly under her collar bone. She could see Nikola watching her and it pleased her to no ends.

"Are you going to tease me all night?" Nikola bit out going to sit back on the bed.

"Such and eager boy you've become," Julia laughed and pushed Nikola back onto the bed. She straddled his waist and braced her hands on his chest, "You will have what you desire soon enough, I promise."

Taking the knife Julia pressed down on the skin under her collar bone, hard enough to draw blood. In the moon light she could see the thin crimson line flow down her pearl white skin.

Nikola sat up and set his lips to the small cut. Her blood was like pure liquid bliss. He could already feel his body changing back into what he had been; he was turning back into a vampire. Normally the thought of taking blood would sicken him, but now he was in his own brand of heaven. Julia tasted sweet and sour; her blood was like candy to his tongue. Ripping his lips from her flesh, Nikola sucked in air, let it fill his lungs as the conversion took place just as it had last time, only this time without the aide of a needle. He felt his facial features contort, reshape and his teeth sharpen. Looking at his nails Nikola laughed seeing his claws once again. 'Vampires are just plain cool.' He thought as he lay back on the bed.

Julia leaned foreword, kissed him, and took her leave of the young Vampire. Her next step would be to check on John and Helen. She knew that they were in the infirmary, asleep together. Soon Claudius and she would have to contact them and ask for a favor. Not a favor of Helen, but of john and the demon that had bonded with him, and taken Helen as its source of power. The blood of and immortal was potent, strong, and not easily found. Helen was lucky and unlucky at the same time to be bound to such a powerful man who held the survival of a great people on his shoulders. Not that John knew what burden he carried, not just yet, but he would soon find out.

**INFIRMARY:**

John woke in the darkness with Helen still in his arms; something was watching them. He looked around as best as he was able without waking Helen, but he could see nothing. Maybe it was his imagination that drove him to wake and feel something that was not there. Perhaps, but John knew it was not so. He stayed still and watched, waited, and hoped that his bad feeling would be fleeting. Still his mind would not let him return to slumber, the darkness in him roared for him to stay awake and protect his woman in whatever fashion he was able.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: Helen gets a note from Nikola alluding to a gift for her. Only the gift is in the form of a bloody and nearly dead John Druitt with a device in his chest which of Vampiric origins.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary

Rating: M

Pairing: Helen and John.

**SHACKLING THE DEMON:**

**THE NEXT MORNING:**

John had slumbered, but not slept. He couldn't bring himself to fall into that black abyss that would allow his body to heal. Helen was in his arms and something had watched them most of the night. There would have nothing in this world that would have mad him sleep soundly while a potential threat watched them. His body was feeling better, feeling stronger, and he was content to just lie there with Helen by his side. She was the one in need of more sleep than he was, even though he had suffered severe blood loss. With her blood rushing through his veins, John felt stable, whole, and without that familiar tug of the darkness. The device did was it was supposed to, how he had intended it to work. Already the calm was rooted in his mind and the weight that was in his heart was lessened as well.

When John had left the first time, it was true he had no destination in mind, but at the last second he thought of Bhalasamm. If he was lucky enough, he would be able to find something in the ruins to help him. By shear divine providence he had found the device now in his chest. Instead of coming back to Helen, John had gone to Nikola. He hated going to the arrogant man, now ex-vampire, but he had no choice. Together they figured out that the device worked like a leash, indicating that the Vampires had encountered the energy beast before. It only made him wonder more about how the Vampires had known about the creature inside of him.

"Magnus, I was looking at…" Will stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of his boss in the arms of Druitt, and Druitt was the one awake.

"William," John held his finger to his lips, indicating quiet was needed, "Please be silent."

"Ok, this is…" Will took a deep breath, let it out, and then took another. "I don't know what this is." He shook his head and sat down on the edge of the bed that Magnus had occupied.

"She needed comfort," John whispered making his voice gentle and low. It still hurt him a great deal to speak, to breath. The pain was a small price to pay for having Helen in his arms, for having her by his side again. At least he hoped she would stand by him again, allow him into her life. They had missed out on so much of a life that should have been theirs that now, if time allowed; they would have to start over.

"And you were the only one close." Will stated sarcasm and suspicion in his tone.

"Think what you want of me young William, but I am free now, no more demon to control me." John let a euphoric smile dance on the edge of his lips as he rested his cheek against the top of Helen's head. She had been the only thing he had cared about, bedsides Ashley and the monster inside of him had taken that from him.

Helen shifted, and then snuggled closer to John. She wasn't ready to wake. Her body had called for sleep and that was what she intended to do. Right now they had a reprieve, but something was coming. Helen had felt it last night, even in the realm of unconsciousness. But John had been there, holding her, comforting her in the way only he knew how to do. She groaned again as her mind began it's ascent to the conscious realm. "Shh, stay asleep a little while longer." His voice floated into her sleep addled brain like a dark lullaby. John's voice had the power to make her lose her senses.

"Where are we?" Her voice was muffled.

John smiled and looked at Will while he answered, "We're in your Sanctuary; sleep a little while longer, the sun has yet to dawn in the heavens." Glancing over Will's shoulder John saw the darkness of the sky tinged with red; it would be a red dawn, blood had been spilled in the night.

Will had to hide a small smile at John's whispered words. This was his boss, curled in the arms of a known killer, and yet she slept soundly, almost like she hadn't slept in years. After the amount of blood she had given him, Will was surprised at her resilience to stay awake. But then again this was Magnus; she was a force of nature and a law unto herself. It was her way or everyone else was screwed. Will had seen her in vulnerable states, never had he seen her look so completely female as she did there in the arms of John Druitt; there was Helen Magnus the woman, not the immortal scientist and leader of a global network. The former profiler glanced at the Rippers left and saw him gripping and releasing the sheets, "How are your injuries?"

"They are almost healed." His hand bit into the sheet and released even as he kept his face in neutral lines.

"I'll find you some pain killers," Will made a move to get up from the bed so he could root around in the cabinets.

"How did you know, if I may ask?" John was in a great deal amount of pain. The more the tendrils spread through his veins, rooted in his heart, the more pain his body experienced, but that was what he wanted to keep the monster inside him at bay.

"The way your hand kept tensing in the blankets." Will replied calmly. He reached for a bottle of morphine and syringe. At least Magnus hadn't gotten around to taking out his IV.

John held up his left hand and said, "I don't need it."

"But you're in pain. This will help," Will pointed out.

"I'd rather be in pain. It let's me know that I'm free." John sighed and suppressed a groan when Helen shifted and her hand grazed over the moving tendrils that still snaked through his veins.

"Why'd you do it?" Will asked. He knew the one major reason; Magnus. But there had to be more to it than just john's love for Helen. Another deep seeded reason had to have made up his mind in order for him to allow his own body to be mutilated like it had been.

"I think you know, but I did it for Helen."

Will nodded, but he didn't know what to say to that. When he had started working here Magnus had told him that Druitt had been her first patient and her worst nightmare when he started killing people. But seeing Magnus there with Druitt, something seemed off about it. It was almost like she was resigned, like she had decided to finally take what she wanted from life no matter what happened. In some ways he was happy that she was finally deciding to live her life, but what was the cost of that? Rather than question Druitt any further Will left him and Magnus alone. They had a lot to catch up on, and a lot of fences to mend.

Helen heard the last exchange between John and Will. Of course she had a feeling that he had done all this for her, but she hadn't wanted to believe it. She didn't want to get her heart broken again. It was just that one inescapable fact that leapt to her mind; this was her John, whole and sane and in love with her, just as she was still in love with him. Helen knew that now; she loved John, "You did this for me?" she couldn't resist; she had to know.

"Yes, I would do anything to be with you and give you that eternity I promised." John hugged her closer and didn't mind the pain so much. When it was Helen nothing compared to the exquisite joy of her being in his arms.

Joy raced through her and she knew that she shouldn't be feeling that, but she couldn't help it. All those long years she had wanted her John back, secretly wishing for him in the darkest nights, and now she had him. Why did she feel so guilty? Maybe it was because she was the very reason for his current pain.

"Do you remember that day in the park when it started to rain?" Helen asked. She knew he knew which day she had mentioned.

"Yes, we were lying on a secluded knoll. I had just met you from my Literature class." John couldn't keep the wicked grin from his lips.

"You were reading 'Tales of Troy'. I can still picture that day and the way you sounded while you read it out loud." Helen smiled in return. This was the first time in this year that she had meant the smile. It felt good to smile and just be content. That day had started out sunny and bright, but just as things changed between them so did the weather. As they smiled and laughed and kissed, dark clouds formed in the heavens and unleashed a downpour of warm summer tears. But the now bad weather had not deterred them, through the rain Helen and John stayed in their secluded part of the park feasting at the others lips. It had been their perfect day.

"'Is this the face that launched a thousand ships and burnt the topless towers of Ilium? Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.'" John recited placing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. He could see Helen lounging on the blanket, her hair cascading over one shoulder, and she gave him her undivided attention as he read. She had told him that she loved the sound of his voice, just as he loved the sound of hers.

When John had left her that last time Helen had wanted so badly for him to lean in and take her lips. She needed that last connection to him, but he just stared at her before disappearing to reunite with the creature that had driven him to his murdering habits. The infirmary was quiet, no one was around, and she doubted that anyone was watching them on the security cams. Shifting from his side Helen situated herself over his thighs and leaned over him so her mouth was extremely close to his. "Just one kiss?" She whispered and was mindful to keep her back arched slightly so her torso did not brush his and cause him more pain.

"Dear Lady, if only you would be so kind," John brushed his lips closers so the air moved over hers.

"I think I am in a kind mood," Helen purred and moved that final inch so her lips touched his. Gone was the taste of his blood, all she could taste was John. He tasted of wild rain and the forest in the dead of winter; clean and crisp. John let his lips dance with hers as his tongue licked at the seam, begging entrance into her mouth. Relenting Helen opened her mouth, but she did not allow him entrance, instead it was her tongue that explored his mouth and tasted him again. It was his taste alone that had driven her nightly fantasies, and she never could find another that tasted as sweet as John when the need arose and her body needed the touch of another; but there was no other than John Druitt. He alone could coax her body into and explosion of feeling.

**HELEN'S OFFICE:**

Nikola had slipped into Helen's office to try and locate a few things he would need to make the plan Claudius had devised a success. It was then that he noticed the monitor had been rotated to the security cams for the infirmary. Helen was lying in John's arms and they were speaking. But what shocked Nikola more was seeing the woman he loved shift and sit astride his enemy's lap. He blinked and the next thing he saw was Helen kissing Druitt.

Anger and hurt vied for Nikola's attention. Anger at himself for having to push them together and hurt at ever thinking he could win Helen over. Even at Oxford he had entertained notions of stealing Helen away from John with charm and flattery, but those had not worked on his lady love and it was a slap in the face to realize she would never be his. Why in all of creation had his mind and heart decided to love Helen Magnus? Simple, she was a Goddess in the realm of mortals. This was the woman he would always love, even if she didn't love him. But nothing in the world would stop him from trying. One of these days he would win Helen's affections.

**INFIRMARY:**

Just having Helen's lips to his was a taste of the old world. Every nip and lick took him farther and farther into the past when they had been alone in the world and nothing could touch the love that they lived in. She was here with him, making him better, and making him the man he was. The fabric of her shirt brushed the device through the bandage sending waves of pain through him. John turned his head away breaking the connection he had to Helen's lips, but the pain was too much right now.

"John?"

"Just a little ache,"

She knew him, and she knew his body's threshold for pain. Situating herself on his side again Helen moved aside the bandage. Blood began to well up from new tendrils threading into his skin. "This has got to be the stupidest thing you have ever done, John"

"Are you sure?" he threaded his hands through her hair just to have somewhere to put them rather than clutch his chest. The device had to fully integrate into him for it to work properly.

"Yes, this is more foolish than that time you…"

John untangled one hand and covered Helen's mouth before she could mention that incident, "You said you would never speak of that particular incident ever again," He smiled. What had happened then had been when he was trying to win her over. It had been that one incident of foolishness that had made Helen see him and she had given him that smile, a smile any God would envy. It was bright and full of light and happiness.

Helen moved his hand, "All right, but I reserve the right to bring this up the next time you do something stupid." She smiled and leaned over to kiss him again. This was something she had feared, being consumed by John; her John again. But when he had asked her to let him go she grew more determined; she was not going to lose him. She and John would never have that perfect ending, not the one they had planned, but an ending together would be… She didn't know what it would be. All Helen knew was that she wanted to try with John; try for that life she had been denied.

John let Helen's words sink in. He pulled back from her and said, "Are you feeling all right?" removing his other hand from her hair he felt her forehead. Helen only smiled at the concerned gesture. "Who are you and what have you done with Helen Magnus?"

"What are you talking about?" But she did know. Helen was acting like her old self, the love sick school girl she had once been with John at Oxford. There was no time to live in fear and self doubt about something she couldn't change. John had a malevolent force inside of him that was not about to leave, but or now it seemed to be contained, controlled. When she had told John she was tired of losing him, she was not being dramatic. It was the plain simple truth. Helen had lost so many this year; James, Clara, Ashley, John, and Nikola in some respect. He was human and he would fall to the rigors of time. His body would age, decay and he would die. Helen couldn't face losing another person, not even Nikola.

"You, this way you are acting." He had to admit that he liked it. The way she was moving on, returning to the woman he knew, but it was the woman she was now that he was so obsessed with. Her fire, steel, and inner strength were a bright beacon, and it made a mockery of how strong she was before his mental alteration.

Helen turned from him and rose off the gurney. How could she tell him that she wanted to leave the past in the past, but staring into his eyes and seeing his love reflected there just took her back. All the pain they suffered didn't matter so much anymore, only being with him mattered. In her dreams she had said this time that she would stand by him no matter what, no matter if the creature regained control, Helen would stick. She made her choice, but how could she tell him that? This was her time to put herself and her needs first for a change. It was selfish, but it was what she wanted and she wanted John. "I've made a choice and I'm going to stick with that choice. My Choice is you, and I won't let you go." She had to say it with her back to him. It was too much to face him right now. What she didn't expect to feel was relief, a deep soul shaking relief at finally admitting to herself what she wanted.

"My choice is you as well," John stated his voice soft and gentle. He struggled to sit up so he could stand behind her and wrap his arms around her. But John didn't have enough strength to sustain him. All he could do was lie there despite his best efforts to get up. He could see something was troubling, and it was not her recent declaration.

They couldn't linger in the Sanctuary for very much longer. Even in sleep last night she could feel someone watching them. Soon the entire network would find out that he had returned into her custody and they would demand that she relinquish him. As soon as she made the other Sanctuaries apprised of what had happened they had decided that should Druitt be recaptured he would be sent to a maxim security location for study. Then she hadn't expected her heart to he torn asunder, but it had. If it hadn't been for her feeling that something else was coming she would work on protecting John, as she had done most f her life. Subconsciously she had been protecting him, protecting the killer he had been for so long. Any mention of Ripper killings Helen had swooped in and covered everything up. But that had been then, now she had so much to worry about John had gone unchecked and then the Network had made the choice to capture him, "If we had to leave, could you teleport us out?" Helen asked and turned to John. She saw a note of concern pass through his wonderful blue eyes.

"Again I pose the question, what is going on?" Gritting his teeth John forced himself to sit up and look at Helen.

"I had to apprise the network of what happened to you, the entity inside of you. They have an order for your capture and transfer to a secure facility. But I won't let them take you." She wasn't going to tell him of her suspicions that someone had been watching them last night. She had felt it even in her dreams.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with last night would it?" John asked.

"What happened last night?"

"Someone was here with us, watching us all night." In her eyes John saw the same suspicions reflected in her blue grey depths.

In her hurry to save John, Helen had completely shoved the order of capture out of her mind. Right now all she wanted was John safe and to do that she would have to leave the comfort of her own home. There was something coming on the horizon and Helen didn't like how the winds of change were shaping up. More dangerous abnormals had been captured recently, and they were the rarest of all. The abnormal they had brought back carried an unusual symbol only found in the obscure Vampire texts she had found over the years. The symbol was meant as a brand of ownership, but to whom? That was the question. "Could you tell who was watching us?"

"No, it was too dark, but I knew someone was there."

Things were not adding up. Nikola wouldn't have helped John if it didn't benefit him in some way. Too many things were careening in Helen's mind. She couldn't make sense of it all. What was happening? Taking a deep breath she tried to center herself, but there was a buzzing sound just loud enough that it was stopping her from being calm. "If you had to teleport could you teleport into the inner city?"

John held out his hand to Helen, urging her to sit down, relax, and try to calm herself. Paranoia was not an attractive trait on her. "If I had to yes, provided the destination was not too far away."

Helen sat, lowered her head to John's shoulder and took a calming breath, "There is a building at the corner of 72nd and Bleaker, and I own the entire top floor. It was meant as a safe haven should I need it, and now it would seem I need it."

"Dare I ask again, what is going on?" John tightened his hold on her hand and urged her to look at him.

"I'm not sure, but I feel as though we are pieces on a chess board; pawns nothing more."

"And what of Nikola?" John queried drawing out Nikola's name.

"I think he knows what's happening, and is a participant in this game." Helen answered and squeezed John's hand in return.

**WILL'S OFFICE:**

Will hadn't realized how late he ad stayed in his office until the sun broke through his window. There was no use to going to bed now. He had patients to see and there would be no time for him to sleep. With Magnus still in the infirmary Will had assumed her duties and they were vast compared to his normal work load. He looked up as Declan crossed the threshold of his office wearing a serious, almost grim look. "Declan, I had no idea that you were here."

"I'm here on business Will. Where is Druitt?" Declan didn't want to waste too much time. He was here on a job and he wanted to see it completed.

"Ummm, he's in the infirmary." Will paused and then asked, "How did you know he was here?"

"The other head of households have met and we determined that Druitt should be locked away for everyone else's safety," Declan turned towards the door. He knew where the infirmary was.

'You mean for your safety," Will thought and followed Declan, maybe he could head him off and give Magnus time, though, what she could do he had no clue. But whatever she could do Will was going to give her the time to do it. He knew, after almost two years, to trust the capabilities of his boss and friend. Magnus always had a plan.

**INFIRMARY:**

Helen had the sense that someone was on their way. If she and John were going to get out, they had to leave now and come up with a plan. She would be damned if she would be someone's pawn. Helen Magnus did not bow down to fate and she would not bow down to an imaginary foe. "We have to leave, right now." Helen moved to John's side and helped him rise from the bed. She would have to support most of his weight. Healing from the injuries he had sustained would take time, even for them.

John's body protested violently to the new up right position. He was still in need of rest; Helen's blood had a lot of work to finish. John knew his body was a mess, internally as well as his chest. The device was still integrating into his system, but the blood was speeding up the process, just not as fast as he would have liked. But for Helen he gathered his strength and stood while trying as hard as he could not to lean on her too much.

The door opened revealing Declan McCray and Will, both wore expressions of shock at the sight of Helen helping John to stand; her arms around his waist for support. "John now would be a good time."

John closed his eyes and tapped into his power, a power that was severely weakened, but he had enough to make the short jump. He had bee to building only once. The ground floor was nothing but office spaces, but Helen had said the top floor, and the top floor was where they would go. He felt how power well up inside of him. One minute he was looking at Declan, who was advancing and Will who was staring at Helen, and then the next thing he saw was the vacant space of the top floor studio apartment. The feeling of success washed over him, soon followed by the feeling of exhaustion. His eyes grew heavy and his body felt like a lead weight. As if knew what behind him John collapsed on the large bed. He dragged air into his lungs like he had just finished a marathon. Every cell in his body was screaming and raging at him to fall back and slip into unconsciousness.

"We'll be safe here," Helen smiled reassuringly at him. But she was riddled with self doubt. Declan could be like a dog with a bone. He was stickler for following orders, sometimes it annoyed her, and sometimes she appreciated it. Today it down right annoyed her. Why did he have to do this? There was no where that would be strong enough to hold the demon within John. Her sanctuary had not been enough for it, no other would do.

"How did you know about this place?" John put his hand to his chest and rubbed lightly trying to make the pain go away. But the pain was a small price for a clear mind and light heart.

"I own it, through a third party of course, but network has no idea." Helen sat down next to John and looked around her full floor loft. When she had acquired the top floor she had to make major renovations. In the center of the room the elevator still stood, only it was encased to look like a closet. There was a section converted into a gym, another part was turned into a lab, then there was a kitchen and finally the bed and bath. All of it was open space. Barely any walls existed that actually went from floor to ceiling. In addition to the open space she had made all the windows one way glass. She could see out, but no one could see in, and the windows were floor to ceiling.

"I like it, nice and open, room to breathe." John commented and coughed. It hurt to breathe; it hurt to talk, but most of all it hurt to sit up. All of his gathered strength fled his body in a current. He dropped back onto the bed and felt more comfortable. The mattress felt as it were made of air and the covers were soft under his hands. The sun shown through the window warming the metal device that was now so much apart of him. If ever there was a way to remove it and the beast; John wasn't sure if he would allow it. Not after the pain that he went through for the device to be inserted to shackle his demon in the first place.

"You should rest more while I find something for us to eat." Helen rose from the edge of the bed and let John get comfortable while she crossed the room to the open kitchen and rummaged in the refrigerator.

John kicked off his shoes and removed his ratty, bloody shirt. He managed to settle himself in the middle of the wide expanse of the bed. To his aching back the covers felt divine, felt like the softest silk. Lying down gave him ease while he took in shallow breaths, all the while he listened to Helen muttering and taking stock of what was in the fridge. This gave him time to think. The rest of her network wanted him in shackles and imprisoned while they studied him. Granted the thing inside of him was a powerful force, but it wouldn't allow him to stay incarcerated for long. It would wait, it would study, and it would learn how to escape any cell that it was forced into. Just as the pain was starting to ease more, yet another tendril worked through his body. Fire coursed through him and he barely resisted the urge to scream. Even at the hands of Nikola the first time the pain had not been this severe. 'Breathe, just breathe. The pain is fleeting and it will fade,' He thought. For a moment more the pain lasted before it to abated.

Helen was wide awake with a ravenous hunger. She had not eaten since that morning and in sleep her body had used up what energy she had regained. In the fridge she found a bowl of fresh fruit, a bottle of honey, and a jar of creamy peanut butter. "Eureka," She whispered and plastered a huge smile on her face. Standing she turned and saw John sprawled on the bed. He removed the bandage and the gold and silver of the device gleamed in the sunlight. I looked odd and strangely the device in his chest suited him. His eyes were closed and by the gentle rise and fall of his chest Helen could tell that Jon had fallen into an exhausted sleep once again. All she could do was sit beside him and munch on the fruit.


	4. Chapter 4

Summary: Helen gets a note from Nikola alluding to a gift for her. Only the gift is in the form of a bloody and nearly dead John Druitt with a device in his chest which of Vampiric origins.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary

Rating: M

Pairing: Helen and John.

**SHACKLING THE DEMON:**

**HELEN'S PENT HOUSE:**

_Helen had been sitting watch over John for most of the day. She had gone through the bowl of fruit and a jar of peanut butter and still she was hungry. What was going on with her? Maybe being clawed by that animal had something to do with it. Helen would have to run tests to make sure though. A blood analysis would be in order to check for infections of contagions that she might have contracted. She had been about to head down to the lab to start her blood work up and a work up for the new guest when she had found Tesla's note and rushed to save John. The blood test had been pushed so far away from her that she hadn't even thought about it when she transfused John. What if she infected him with an unknown contagion? A warm drop fell on the back of Helen's hand drawing her attention; it was a single drop of blood. Her hand went to her nose and her fingers came back bloody, "What the…" Helen bounded off the bed and into the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were rimmed with red and the center iris was turning to a molten amber color. The flesh of her face as slowly turning darker and her cheek bones had started to reshape. A sickening cracking sound was coming from inside her own body…_

Helen sat bolt upright in bed and touched her fingers to her nose; no blood. It was all a dream. When had she fallen asleep? John was still on his back sleeping soundly and recovering his strength. She looked to the bed and saw the empty bowl and the jar that had had peanut butter in it and realized that she had eaten until she had gotten sleepy and curled up right next to John. "I have been watching too many B movies with Will," Helen sighed and moved off the bed. She took the bowl and jar to the sink before she headed into the bath; she as in desperate need of a shower. Helen risked a glance in the mirror and the only thing out of place on her was the three parallel scratch marks over her right shoulder and those were already starting to fade. But there was something else there, something she had not seen before. It was a small needle mark and it was right below the middle claw mark. Will hadn't mentioned anything about giving her an injection, he had only old her that they had to start and IV for fluids. Where had the injection come from? It was too recent and it wasn't there when she had started the direct IV transfusion. Maybe there was glimmer of hope that she had not infected John. Even in dream she thought like a scientist.

Taking a deep breath she turned towards the shower and adjusted the water to the right temperature so she wouldn't scald her skin when she stepped past the curtain. Helen stood before the mirror again and took stock of her appearance. Her hair was mussed, her skin was paler than normal, and the scratch marks were nothing but a pale pink set of lines. She took off her tank top and removed her black bra before unhooking the clasp to her slacks and sliding them off along with her underwear. Helen slid the curtain back and stepped under the hot, healing water. Instantly her body felt better, her muscles relaxed and her mind cleared to everything but the water running over head, flowing down her shoulders and pooling at her feet before running down the drain. This was what she had needed, a nice hot shower in peace and quiet. But there was no peace to be found in her body with John just beyond the door lying on the bed shirtless.

Helen reached down and felt for the shampoo, instead hands flitted of the skin of her waist and she turned her watery gaze to see John behind her. His chest was wet and water was soaking into his slacks. His blood that had been dried now ran down his bare feet and was carried away by the water to flow down the drain. She had wanted to say something but he placed his index finger lightly over her lips to stop her. Instead her put his hands to her waist and turned her so her face was to the tiled wall and water once again coursed over her head.

John had been pulled out of sleep by the sound of running water. Rising out of compulsion he walked to the bathroom and saw Helen's clothes in a heap on the floor. She was just beyond the curtain standing so still she seemed as if she had turned to stone. But John knew that she was merely lost in thought. Even though he still wore his trousers he stepped behind her anyway. His hands lightly touched her and she turned and her brilliant grey blue eyes met his, before she could speak her turned her so that she was facing the wall. He moved closer to her and reached for the bottle of scented vanilla shampoo. Pouring some into his hands he began to work it into her hair and continued until it was generous white lather cleaning her dark brown hair. He smiled to himself when Helen moaned slightly. John positioned the shower head so the water rinsed away all the soap to leave her hair smooth and clean.

Helen turned again and wrapped her arms over his shoulders pulling him under the water with her. John let himself feel the hot water running over him as Helen kept him close to her. The water felt so good that he could feel all the dirt and grime being taken off layer by layer. The metal in his chest heated under the gentle spray of water and warmed through his body. It wasn't a surprise when he felt the rubbing of washcloth with the smell of southern gardenias permeating the air.

Helen adjusted the shower head so the water sprayed over the both of them. She watched him with his eyes closed and the look of bliss that passed over his face. Reaching to her left she gathered up a bottle of southern gardenia body wash (it was all she kept instead of bars of soap), and a wash cloth so she could take off some of the dried blood that the water had yet to wash away. Slowly she washed away flecks of blood from around the center of the device. Helen used a gentle swiping motion to clean the blood off of the metal nod she was mindful of the new tendril that had worked into his skin. 'Oh, John.' Helen thought. He had suffered so much just to be himself once again. It still stung that he had not come to her and asked for his help. Would she have been able to cause him so much physical injury? The simple answer was no she could not, not even is she was furious at him.

She dropped the wash cloth and reached up to the detachable nozzle so she could rinse off the soap and rinse away the rest of the blood on his chest. The silver and gold gleamed in the dull light that managed to make it past the curtain. So much pain he had suffered and now she was there to soothe him and make him better. Helen replaced the nozzle and shut off the water. John was the first to step beyond the curtain and he handed her a towel to wrap around her. She secured the black fluffy towel around her and grabbed another one for him but she didn't hand it to him right away. Instead she pushed him down so he sat on the edge of the sink. Then she gently dried off the water on his chest, down his abs, and around his waist. Before she moved away Helen laid a butterfly kiss to his flesh, just about the device, and smiled when she felt him shudder.

John shuddered at the slight touch of Helen's lips. They felt so go, so soft, and felt so hot against his skin. He wanted to feel those lips against his, not against the cold metal of the device in his chest. But the device was a necessity to keep the calm in his mind, to control in his heart. John knew that he would never be able to remove the device from his chest. Nor did he desire such an act. He wanted to stay whole and sane and the man that she knew and loved. Hopefully given time, she would go to trust him again, trust him with her heart, and her love.

**OLD CITY:**

**ABANDONED BUILDING**

Nikola walked through the creaky, rusty door of yet another abandoned ware house. He could not understand the fascination Claudius and Julia had with them; they were disgusting and dirty and infected with vagrants. Nikola had to resist the urge to brush off dirt from his lapel, but even more so he had to smash down the urge to pull out his small bottle of antibacterial gel. In the months he had been human he had become a sort of germaphobe. It galled him that he had become such a person, but such was life and he had to get used to being a vampire again, which shouldn't be that hard. He was only there to report that John and Helen were gone and that whatever plan the two ancients had was right on schedule, though he would have liked to know what the plan was instead of be pushed around like a human. Nikola Tesla was a vampire and he should be treated as such.

"Are things proceeding as planned?" Claudius materialized of the shadows like a wraith, a wraith dressed in Armani. Nikola wanted to role his eyes and sigh at the shear amount of cliché's coming from the Roman vampire but he kept his insolence to a minimum.

"Yes, Helen and Druitt are no where to be found," Nikola held up his hand because he knew the next question, "And before you ask, yes, I did manage to inject her with that neon blue liquid of yours. What is it anyway?" Nikola asked before he thought better.

"It is something that will help her bring out, to cultivate new powers with in her." Claudius waved his hand in the air dismissing any further questions. Now was not the time for questions, only the time to plan the next move and the next lure. He turned to Nikola and crooked his finger saying, "Come, follow and see what I have in store next for your precious Helen."

Nikola should have gotten out right at that very moment when he saw the gleam in the other Vampires eye, but his strong desire for Helen commanded him to follow and see what was in store. There was a giant red velvet curtain and just beyond Tesla could hear beeping and other sounds. To say he was shocked would have been a gross understatement. Hooked up to wires and monitors and different IV's was the still form of Ashley Magnus, Helen's beloved daughter.

"Where did you find her?" Instinctively Nikola moved closer to her and started to check her vitals and determine that she was ok. Her heart rate and respiration were strong, but she was in a deep coma like sleep; probably drug induced. He knew that if Ashley was awake she would be looking for a way to escape and get back to the Sanctuary, she Nikola was sure that she was in a drug induced sleep near enough to a coma.

"Julia found her washed up on the beach in Greece . " Claudius moved to stand behind Nikola and cocked his head and the young blonde that was rapidly gaining strength.

"Helen finds out that you have her and she will stop at nothing to kill you." Nikola informed, though he was sure Claudius and Julia knew this already. They had been studying Helen ever since that first experiment of the FIVE.

"She won't if we present ourselves as the ones who saved her beloved daughter, which is true in a sense. We are saving her and making her stronger while we remove all the harmful toxins the Cabal pumped into her." Julia stepped into view making notes on a tablet computer.

"She may listen to anything you say if you return Ashley to her waiting arms." Nikola mused as he stepped behind Julia to read her notes.

"And what about Helen and John?" Julia turned and rested the front of the tablet against her chest to hide her notes from Nikola's roving gaze. Her gave her an impish smile and then backed away.

"Gone into hiding just as you requested. I don't know where they would go, but it can't be far. Druitt is still healing and his body would not have had time to integrate Helen's blood into his system this fast." Nikola informed his Sire.

Julia leaned closer and whispered against Nikola's lips, "Good Boy."

"Are you going to offer me a treat?" Nikola smiled, a wolfish grin compared to the one he had offered up earlier. He knew that she was trying to make him heal to her like some foolish puppy. But a puppy he was not. No, he would allow them to think he was the good little Vampire and help them so long as it was advantageous to him. Seeing Ashley on the table, a plan started to form in his head and it was a way to get back into Helen's good graces. He knew she was still mad at him for creating new and better Vampires in kids who had been addicted to drugs, the kids weren't vampires anymore but at least they weren't addicted to drugs either. But she was still focusing on the negative.

"A bottle of wine from the lost age of Vampires, does that qualify?" Julia teased and then backed away. If she was good at one thing it was making young Vampires bed to her will. Hopefully if she could curb Nikola enough he would not truly see what they intended to do with Magnus and Druitt.

"That is a good treat, but I must bid you farewell lest the humans wonder what happened to me." Nikola backed away and so he could leave. Claudius and Julia let him leave but he was aware of the holes being bored into his back. Just inside the door there was a hanging light bulb. Testing his powers Nikola reached up and touched the bulb. The tungsten sparked and the light bulb lit up. 'I'm back baby!' Nikola thought and allowed a huge self satisfied smile break out across his face. Helen and Druitt may be gone, that he could deal with, but he was his old Vampiric self again and he felt better than ever.

**HELEN'S PENTHOUSE:**

Helen and John made it out of the shower wearing black terry cloth robes. She had been sure that she had one large enough to fit him and she had been right. Now only if she could conjure clothes that would fit him things would be right with the world. Going to the large closet Helen pulled out a pair of blue jeans and another black tank top with matching black underwear and bra. "I'm sorry I don't have clothes that fit you." Helen turned to look at John and had to catch her breath. John was sitting back on the bed with left knee bent, his left arm resting lightly. His right leg was stretched out and his right arm was bent back behind his head as a pillow. He was giving off the air of being lazy and relaxed. The sun filtered in and lit the entire bed as well as glinting off the metal in his chest. Instantly she was overcome with heat just by the sight of him. Using every ounce of will power she possessed Helen turned away and proceeded to get dressed. It didn't bother her that he was watching her, in fact it comforted her to know that John was right there on the bed looking lazy and compliant.

Helen pulled her jeans up slowly and left the button undone as she turned putting her bra on. John had turned his head and to still his rapid heart beat. Something in her smile told him that she had chosen to act like an imp, to tease and torment him while he was still healing. He was sure that the scratch marks the creature had left on her was probably the cause of her personality change and he was beginning to like it. It might be wrong of him but he wanted to keep this Helen around, the side of her allowed him to touch her with gentle touches and look at her with kind eyes. She only saw him and her gaze was not clouded with suspicion. This is what John liked and he enjoyed watching Helen watching him. She walked to him them pulling the fabric of her tank top down to meet the top of her jeans. The jeans hugged her legs giving off the appearance that they had been painted on. He sat up slowly and buttoned the top of Helen's jeans as he laid a light kiss to the small amount of skin that had been exposed. "Since when do you wear jeans?" John asked.

Helen laughed, "Since 1965, except, I only where them when I'm on my own." She straddled his lap and used his shoulders as a brace as she continued to speak, "I'm supposed to be in charge, respectable, and business like when all I want to do is wear jeans, kick back, and relax some days." Helen smiled a bright thousand watt smile that flickered in John's eyes as he remembered that smile freely given so many years ago. Vaguely Helen realized that she was acting different, out of character, but she dismissed the thought and rose from John's warm and comfortable lap. She had a few calls to make to see about clothes for him and she had to run tests on her blood. But she didn't want to run any tests. She just wanted to feel good and be with John.

"This new you is beginning to grow on me I must say," John ran his hands up her sides, over her back and wove them through the wet tangle of her hair.

"Then I just may have to stay this way." Helen smiled and leaned over John to kiss John. Deep down she liked this feeling. It was a freedom of sorts and she was going to enjoy it for as long as she was able. The doorbell rang and Helen was forced to peel herself from his arms and his lips. John tried to hold her in place but she nipped at his lips and walked away.

Helen smiled at John one more time before she opened the door to a Korean girl of about twenty years of age, "Cho, what are you doing here?"

Cho moved inside and adverted her eyes when she noticed the man on the bd. Instead she focused her gaze on Doctor Magnus. Her mother had told her to come by and see if anything needed to be cleaned or stocked. "My mother is sick. She told me to come here and check things out."

"Oh, well, thank you. When you go home, tell you mother I come by and check on her. But before you go, can go shopping for me?" Helen asked.

"Yes, for you?"

"No not for me. Could you get me some men's clothes?" Helen handed Cho a role of bills and John's tailored size that she had written out when she put the bowl in the kitchen. Ti would do well to get John some clothes even though she preferred to keep him in nothing but a robe.

"For you yes, and Doctor, do you require food as well?" Cho asked.

"Uhh, steaks, pasta, sauce, and peppermint ice cream." Helen smiled and ushered Cho out the door and onto the elevator. She knew the young girl would do what she asked and would waste no time in running the errands set to her.

**SANCTUARY:**

Declan just started at Will. He couldn't believe that they had not found Magnus or Druitt yet. The Sanctuary had unlimited resources, but they couldn't find two injured people. Granted the city was a huge place, but the Sanctuary still had long arms. Declan was trying to wrap his mind around the limited reach of the main house. "What do you mean that you haven't found them yet?"

"This is a big city and…" Will started but left the sentence hanging. It was enough that they couldn't find Magnus, but it was another to tell Declan where they were.

"Do you think you can find out?" Declan asked.

"No, if Magnus wants to disappear then there is no hope in finding her until she decides to surface." Will knew this; he had sensed it about Magnus when he first started to work for her.

"That's the problem. Magnus has grown too comfortable calling all the shots. She expects the other houses to fall in line and follow her."

"Magnus has been at this longer than any of us." Will wanted to point out that he was in charge while Helen was gone, but he stopped himself. The last time Declan tried to take over it hadn't gone so well. Will had quit and Henry was getting ready to leave. But then Magnus's plan was revealed and everything turned out for the best. That was his boss; she had a plan with in a plan.

"And that is why she has grown complacent and more reckless. This latest episode with Druitt has become clear that she has lost sight if her goals. She thinks now only of Druitt." Declan pointed out. The other heads of the Sanctuary houses had been coming to him and mostly they had been complaining

"That's because Magnus has a history…" Will was cut off by Declan.

"With one of the most notorious killers of all time, yes we know." Declan huffed out a breath and ran a hand through his short hair out of frustration. He knew that he could search for ten years and still not find her. It shouldn't be so hard to find two injured people in a city.

"Then cut her some slack and let's watch her play this out." Will suggested.

"No, we move a head in finding her." Declan stated and walked out of Will's office to conduct the search himself.

**TWO HOURS LATER:**

Helen tried to work on her blood test, but John was lounging on the bed watching her with a heated gaze. He dressed in the tailed black slacks and a merlot colored button up shirt. It almost resembled the one he had been wearing that now lay in tatters on the floor. Helen could see him out of the corner of her eye, but she had to work, and work she would if only she could concentrate. She cracked her neck and focused her eyes on the microscope. Her blood work was normal, no infections or toxins, or anything unusual. So what was making her act odd? Helen moved her right arm so she could take a better look at the injection site. The mark was gone, but not the faint trace of a substance under her skin. She took a small scalpel and sliced the top layer of her skin and with the needle she withdrew a small amount of neon blue liquid.

"What have you found?" John asked from behind her. Helen hadn't heard him move, but then again she was focused on finding out what was wrong with her. She knew she wasn't acting herself and there had to be some drug or virus in her system that was making her act different from normal.

"I don't know what this is, but I think this is the reason that I'm acting the way that I am." Helen turned and kissed the side of John's neck. She found it odd that she was falling into the same routine as they had before he had become the Ripper, and she was amazed at how easy it was when she let herself remember, when she let herself just be Helen. Not a leader, not a scientist, and not a wronged lover. She was just herself.

"How long will it take you to find what it is made of?"

"A while, I'll have to run a comprehensive test to find out the base components that are floating around my blood stream. I'm setting the search parameters to a wide filter." Helen pushed back from the lab table, turned around and wrapped her arms around John, "But while it's doing that, we could have some fun." She suggested and raised her eyebrows while smiling.

John looked into her eyes, her smoky grey depths, and saw exhaustion. He knew she had slept, but he also knew that she had not slept very well. "How long has it been since you've slept?" John asked, concern threaded through his words.

"I've was asleep before I was in the shower." Helen admitted. What she didn't tell him as that she had had a nightmare. It was just her mind playing games. Too many B movie features that Will had subjected her to, and she had allowed him to do it just to take her mind off the current state of affairs.

"You had a nightmare didn't you?" He asked, bringing his hands up to cup her face. In one instant he could see the shadows under her eyes more clearly that he had earlier. She leaned her forehead on his chin and sighed.

"How did you know?" Helen sounded astonished, but she shouldn't have been surprised. John used to know her inside and out, right down to her moods.

"Because I know you," John replied and kissed the top of her head, "How about you take a nap and I'll fix dinner."

Helen laughed and said, "Who are you and what have done with Jack the Ripper?"

"I hope he is gone for good so that I can love you for eternity." John kissed the top of her head again and walked her to the bed so that she could rest and he could putter around in the kitchen and hopefully didn't burn anything.

Helen didn't argue, but she didn't fall asleep right away. It w sod for him to offer to do such a thing, given his state of mind for well over a hundred years. She was rapidly learning to see her John, the way he used to be, and not the murderer that creature had turned him into. From her place on the bed she could see John moving about her kitchen, getting pots and a skillet out to use to cook with. The last time John had tried to cook for her was 1883 and it had been their anniversary. John had wanted to do something special, but he had burnt dinner and all they had to eat was grapes, wine, and cheese. Nothing had been more perfect. She would have continued to watch him, but her eyes grew heavy, exhaustion weighed her body down, and sleep enveloped her dragging down her down into the dark abyss where either nightmare's of dreams waited for her.


	5. Chapter 5

Summary: Helen gets a note from Nikola alluding to a gift for her. Only the gift is in the form of a bloody and nearly dead John Druitt with a device in his chest which of Vampiric origins.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary

Rating: M

Pairing: Helen and John.

**SHACKLING THE DEMON:**

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**HELEN'S PENTHOUSE:**

John had given up trying to cook even before he got started. It was better not to risk a fire just now, not when Helen was in the midst of a nightmare. At first he had heard her gentle whimpers and then it escalated to tossing and turnings and her repeating the words, "No, no, don't" Over and over the words would fall from her lips. It was enough to have John worried enough to come back to the bed and pull her into his arms to try and still her tossing and turning. To some extent it worked, her body had stilled, but her mind was being held fast in the nightmare. John brought her right hand to rest over the metal above his heart so that some of her flesh touched his. Sometimes skin contact made for the best comfort. She continued to fight and John had no choice but to hold her and fight his pain as her movements jarred his mechanical salvation.

_Faces, so many faces appeared out of the dark. Some were scared, some were angry, others were out of focus. But one face stuck out at her. It was Ashley, the face of her daughter. "Mom! Mom, you have to find me! Please come and find me!" Ashley screamed through the darkness. Her hands reached out, tried to latch onto Helen's but Helen was being pulled out of the dark and back into the world of the living, back into the waking world._

"Helen?!" John jostled her, "Helen, wake up!"

Helen rolled out of his arms and was halfway away from the bed gasping for breath. She had seen Ashley and Ashley had asked for help. Shaking her head Helen looked at John and immediately felt the need to cry. It had been so long since she had dreamed of Ashley in such a way. Feeling weak and powerless Helen sank to her knees and started to rock back and forth so she had time to beat back the wave of tears she could feel gathering in her eyes.

John slowly slide off the bed and crawled to Helen. He didn't want to walk to her, to tower over her, no he wanted to be at her level. Whatever she had seen scared her and made her sad. "Helen, tell me what did you see?" He reached out his hand and cupped her shoulder.

"Our daughter calling for help, begging me to find her, to help her." Helen choked out through the gathering emotions in her heart.

John slammed steel shields in place at the mention of Ashley. His daughter was still a raw nerve with him and he had not had the opportunity to take his revenge, and now he wasn't sure that he would. Now that he was sane he was no longer vengeful, anger and in pain was what he still was. John pulled Helen close to him and tried to still her shaking. It was then that he noticed the chain around her neck; it had spilled out of her tank top and was lying against the black of her shirt glinting in the light. Gracing the chain was the very ring that he had bought for her and used to propose to her. She kept it; Helen had actually held onto the last small part of their love.

"It was only a dream, Helen," John whispered and ran his hand down her back and made comforting circles. He wanted to believe that his daughter was still alive, but she was gone. John had to accept that, he knew he should but that small sliver of hope crept in and wound around his heart. Helen's words about Ashley gave him a ray of hope.

Helen pulled back to look him in the eyes, "No, it was real. I could see her…" She leaned her head back, "I could…" Tears fell from her eyes and she nestled back into John's arms.

Helen shook with the ferocity of her dream, with the intense wave of hope and sadness battling for supremacy in her mind. Her heart wanted to be hopeful, but her head wanted to deny everything; Ashley was dead it screamed. Helen knew better, she felt it; her maternal instinct would never stop. Ashley was alive and she was close. Closing her eyes tightly Helen tried to pull the image of Ashley back into her mind, but it did not reappear. Instead she was gifted with and image of John, 1880's John. He was wearing a charcoal grey suit and he was pacing outside a jewelers. His body language read nervous, agitated, but his face showed nothing. Just as she thought he was going to turn around and leave John moved into the little corner shop that they used to pass on their walks through London Town.

Her mind propelled her back to the here and now as she looked into the concerned eyes of John, "You debated for ten minutes about getting the ring." She said, it was all she could say as her hand clasped the very same ring he had used to propose to her. All those years ago she had tried to throw it away. Her arm was ready to pitch the ring into the river, but something had stopped her and she was glad that she heeded that small voice in her head.

"How did you…?" John couldn't finish the question because he had lingered outside the jewelers for ten minutes. He was more worried about what she would say than buying the actual ring. Five times he nearly turned tail and ran, almost fooling himself into thinking they were perfect the way they were. But he wanted more; he wanted her for his wife. The sane part of his psyche still wanted that, though it was out of their reach now. Too much blood, death, and pain lay between them.

"I saw it just by…" She trailed off as a realization hit her. The blue florescent liquid was some sort of variation of the Source Blood; it had to be. Taking herself out of his arms Helen moved back to the make shift lab, all thoughts of dinner and John evaporated from her mind. She had to find out exactly what the blue liquid was comprised off and what exactly it would do to her.

**ABANDONED BUILDING:**

Tesla had come back to check on Ashley and if need be steal her away from the two ancients. If anyone was going to give her back to Helen it would be him and maybe he would worm his way back into her good graces. 'If only.' Nikola thought as she sneaked through the curtain where the young Magnus had been kept. And there she still was, hooked up to monitors and more of that blue liquid being pumped into her. When he had a chance he would analyze it, fid out what it was made of, and if need by try and find a way to neutralize it. The same liquid that was being pumped into Ashley was the same he had injected into Helen. Only he knew what it was doing to Helen. It was giving her the gift of sight.

Nikola expanded his senses, used his vampiric abilities, to sense if Claudius and Julia were around. He felt nothing and that lulled him enough to start disconnecting Ashley from the monitors and the IV she had in her arm. Almost immediately Ashley started to waken, her eyes fluttered trying to open, and she mumbled for her mother. This would be the second good deed Nikola would perform in order to look good in front of Helen, even though she was still intertwined with Druitt, he would have to settle for being her friend.

"Mom…" Ashley mumbled as she slumped against Tesla. She was slowly coming back into her senses, but not fast enough.

"Sorry to say Ashley, but it's Nikola." Tesla replied in a hushed voice. He moved quickly through the outer rooms and to the door. Whatever strength the girl had was quickly leaving her. Nikola picked her up and carried Ashley the rest of the way out of the building on into the blinding light. When he found Helen, she owed him big time for this.

**SANCTUARY:**

Will slipped into Henry's and made sure that Declan was no where to be seen. But the truth of it was that Declan was still searching for Helen in Old City. If Will knew his boos, and he knew some of her, he would bet that she had another safe haven off the books where she could go if trouble hit. The kind of trouble to come to her now was due to the other heads of households, and it was because they had gotten pretty scared when Magnus relayed what had happened the last time Druitt was their guest. But that wasn't why Will was now in Henry's lab; he was there to see if the Werewolf Tech genius could find their boss without Declan finding out. "Ok, Henry what do you have for me?" Will clapped his hands together and peered over Henry's shoulder.

"Well, not a whole lot," Henry tapped his fingers on the keys, "But I did find this, an address. Only it's not in her name, but I do see a number of deliveries made to this place with the Doc's name on it."

"Good work, give me the address and I go and check it out." Will smiled at Henry and smiled to himself.

"How are you going to get past Declan?"

"That won't be hard, just send him in a different direction."

"What? Why me?" Henry shouted at Will's retreating back.

**HELEN'S LOFT:**

John had been sitting on the bed for the last hour watching Helen work in her make shift lab. It wasn't that he didn't like to watch her, he did, but he wanted to know more than anything what she had found out. When she found something she would mutter and make notes on a piece of paper. John had started to look over her shoulder but she only turned and pushed him away. Eventually he got the hint and he knew that when she found something concrete she would share it with him. He was a scientist, just as she was, the only difference between them was that she had kept up her pursuit of knowledge while he had shed blood and created chaos for well over a hundred. John tried to wait, tried to content himself with watching her, but his curious mind would not keep still. So, again he rose and walked over to her, this time his intent would be to distract. Leaning down over her he kissed up and down the right side of her neck, tempting, teasing her to pay attention to him.

Helen moaned, "John, I've got to work."

"Work later, play now," He lightly nipped at her pulse point and felt heat flare across her skin.

"You are so bad," Helen grinned wickedly and rose up out of her chair to drape her arms over his shoulders. She had been waiting and waiting for him to tempt her out of work. It had surprised her that he took this long, but now that he was here she would take the time to play, as he put it.

John picked her up, held her close, and carried her back towards the bed. There was no more pain in his chest, no more pain coursing over his flesh. Helen chased all that away with her body. She always made him feel better, fell content. This was the power she had over him, and it would be a power he would let her continue to have. Helen laughed, a light melodious sound, as John leaned over her. He was about to take her lips again in a soul searing kiss, one he knew would make her utterly lost to his pleasurable torments when someone cleared their throat. John knew that it was neither Helen nor he who had uttered such a sound. As one they both turned to see Will staring at them and yet trying not to stare.

"What are you doing here, Will?" Helen rolled from underneath John and suppressed a grin when she heard him growl in frustration. She was in the same state but if Will had tracked her here it would only be a matter of time before Declan would show and that was not something she wanted. Helen still had to confirm her suspicions.

"Obviously interrupting you, sorry by the way." Will muttered.

"Obviously," John agreed and moved to stand beside Helen. He bore no ill will towards the young man but he would have preferred if William had found them tomorrow, or two hours from now.

"Umm, yeah…" Will turned and looked at the loft. It was set up like office Magnus kept and what he would imagine her bedroom to look like, not that he imagined that too often about his boss and friend.

"Will, you came here for a reason, what is it?"

"Oh, yeah, I just wanted to check in and see how you were… the both of you."

"That's sweet of you Will," Magnus reached out her hand and patted his cheek, "There is something you can do for me though."

"Yeah, anything," Will followed his boss to the small makeshift lab. It was there that he saw she was running tests on some sort of neon blue liquid.

"I need you to take this back to the Sanctuary and run some tests on it. There are some components to it that my computer can't analyze." Helen handed Will the small sample she had managed to extract from her arm. She had the sneaking suspicion that it had been Nikola that had injected her. Yet, she had to ask herself, why? What would be his gain? Helen accidentally touched Will's fingers and was rocketed into a vision…

_Nikola stood to one with two other people she didn't know, but one thing was for sure the three of them were all vampires. Will was in the grips of the female vampire. His skin was pale and his lips were blue to lack of oxygen…_

Helen stumbled back into John's solid chest. His hand rested on her stomach as she sucked in a deep breath. Now she was sure what was happening to her. Whatever had been in that liquid was now enabling her to see certain parts of the future? But how did that account for Ashley; her daughter was dead. She leaned her head back and touched her temple to John's chin.

"Magnus, you ok?" Will reached out but stopped short of their flesh touching.

"No, Will, I'm definitely not ok," Helen responded and tried to catch her breath.

"What did you see?"

"A Vampire, female, had Will by the neck. She was choking him and Nikola was at her side," Helen sagged against John and felt his arms wrap around her, supporting her weight.

"Vampires?" John and Will asked at once.

"Yes, two more," Helen said and tried to stand up straight, but fell back against John's chest. This new ability was a drain on her strength. If it hadn't been for John then she might have toppled to the floor, but John was with her offering his strength.

**NEW CITY**** STREETS:**

Everything seemed fine, well, up to a point. Ashley was being half carried half dragged along the street as the blazing sun blinded her to every thing but the man who was at her side. The last thing she remembered was being pulled up off the bed she had been on. At that point her mind had been clear, but now it was muddled. She could barely tell what direction she was going in, except she hoped that they were on their way home. Ashley stumbled and would have fallen had it not been for Nikola, though it was still a puzzle as to why he saved her.

"Come Ashley, we have to get you home." Nikola hefted Ashley against him and continued to walk down the street. He tried to ignore all the people who were out and about. What was it with people and their need to stare? Sometimes it annoyed him to no end.

"How much farther?" Ashley slurred. She felt as if she hadn't spoken in so long. The last thing she remembered was staring deeply into her mother's eyes… and there was nothing; just blackness. If she was going to find out what had happened to her she would have to get home and see her mother. But mainly she wanted to see her mother and maybe her father, if he was there and not off being the Ripper again.

"Not long now, just keep conscious," Nikola shifted her again and picked up his pace towards the Sanctuary. He knew that Helen and John weren't there, but those inside the walls would be more than happy to have Ashley back. If anything Nikola just needed to get back to the Sanctuary before Julia and Claudius found out that Ashley was gone. He wasn't so worried about Claudius because the elder Vampire probably already knew of this, but Julia would see it as a betrayal. For some reason he hated to think of her hating him. Julia was magnificent, just as he thought Helen to be. But Helen was hooked to John, bound so close to him that she would never be free and he knew she didn't want to be. Nikola could be with Julia and she would understand his genius and his desire to revive the Vampiric Race. Still, all this hinged on him getting Ashley safely home and then find Helen and John to let them know their child was alive.


	6. Chapter 6

Summary: Helen gets a note from Nikola alluding to a gift for her. Only the gift is in the form of a bloody and nearly dead John Druitt with a device in his chest which of Vampiric origins.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary

Rating: M

Pairing: Helen and John.

**SHACKLING THE DEMON:**

**SANCTUARY:**

Henry had just happened to be passing by the front doors of the Sanctuary when someone knocked. He paused and looked to see if the sound would be made again and this time whoever was outside decided to pound demanding entrance. Walking over Henry pulled the door open a crack and saw Tesla with the last person he ever thought to see. It was Ashley, she was held firm in the ex-vampires grip but it was her. He was stood stock still frozen in shock. It was Ashley; that was all he was thinking about. Ashley was in Nikola's arms and she was alive.

"Are you going to let us in or what? Are we to bake in this sun?" Nikola demanded and muscled his was past the stunned werewolf.

Snapping out of it Henry went to Ashley's side and draped her other arm over his shoulders. Rather than ask questions the two men set off for Ashley's room instead of the infirmary. There would be less questions concerning Ashley because everyone outside the small group here believed the daughter of Helen Magnus to be dead. Henry never believed it, Will didn't believe it, and Magnus certainly never gave up hope, but she had to move on. "Where did you find her?" Henry asked as he placed Ashley on her bed.

"In a warehouse down town," Nikola answered and stared at the blond. Her breathing had evened out and from here he could hear the normal rhythm of her heart. She was in no danger. It would take her a while to struggle out of the drug induced haze that the other two vampires had pumped into her system and from what he had seen they were powerful sedatives while her body reverted back to being a human. From Julia's notes she wasn't about to eliminate all the Vampiric traits from Ashley's body. The blonde would still have the ability to teleports and se would have the healing all vampires possessed; the long life was still a mystery as to whether she would still retain that.

"She was that close? The Doc is going to be happy, overjoyed, when she comes back." Henry sputtered.

"Ah, yes, Helen. Tell me, have you found her?" Nikola inquired.

"Umm… well… yes and no," Henry tried to lie but he knew he was terrible at it. That was why he mainly stuck to the truth.

"Which is it, yes or no?" Nikola prompted.

"Yes," Henry responded though clenched teeth.

"Can you tell me where so I can let her know that her beloved daughter is back from the dead?" Nikola moved a step closer and smiled when Henry back up a step. Even though the young man was a werewolf he was still easily intimidated.

"You'll have to ask Will when he gets back," Henry responded rapidly and then left. He knew that Tesla was following him, but made no move to confirm his suspicions. Having the guy who invented radio around was weird enough.

**HELEN'S LOFT:**

The city sprawled out before her eyes with the setting sun glinting off all the glass of the distant New City. Night would soon descend upon the city and its inhabitants. Helen stood looking out at the city she defended and, not for the first time, thought about Ashley. She thought about all the dangerous missions he had sent Ashley on and how many times her daughter had narrowly escaped death. Helen was sure that her daughter was indeed not dead, but at the same time she had to face reality and continue the normal day to day operations of her Sanctuary. And now she had a vision of Ashley calling out to her for help. It made Helen feel powerless all over again. The network was working against her, not for the first time, and Helen was finding it tedious. She finally had John back and they wanted to take him away, lock him up and do research on the thing inside of him. Times were simpler in 1890. She had her work and her friends, but now she had John. Helen's mind was torn and she didn't know how to get herself out of her latest problem.

"You look so serious," John muttered behind her.

Rather than turn around she smiled at his reflection and said, "I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. What if I lose?" She heard the desolation in her voice and instantly cringed. Never had she let herself feel this much negative emotions.

"I wasn't aware that we were at war." John said and wrapped his arms around Helen. She relaxed into his embrace by a fraction of an inch. He could see that her defenses were still on alert.

"I have this feeling that I'm going to have to end up choosing between you and my Network." Helen closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.

"I would never make you chose…."

"But I already have. By leaving with you I made my choice and I'm going to stick with it." Helen turned to John then and smiled at him.

"Helen, I…" John was going to try and talk her out of her choice. She should choose her work and not a murderer like him. But then he knew that once she had her mind made up there was no changing it.

"I chose you, you're all I need," Helen whispered. She didn't realize how much she meant those words until she looked into his eyes. If she could keep her Sanctuary that would be the best of both worlds, but if she had to give something up it wouldn't be John. Her network was designed to survive should she ever find a way to die.

John shook his head and cupped Helens face in his hands. This was what he loved about her; her ability to make a split second choice and not over think it. It made his heart beat faster to know that she was going to keep on choosing him against her beloved Network.

"You shouldn't have to choose me over your work. I know how important…" John was cutoff with Helen's fingers over his mouth. She gave him a look of pure happiness, of pure bliss that he had to wonder if she was still Helen; the woman who had nearly killed him and the woman he had nearly killed. But at the same time she was his world, his breath, and the very beat of his heart and his heart cried out in joy that she chose him.

"Why don't you get this through your head; I'm tired John, tired of denying myself what I truly want. And what I want is you." Helen smiled a slightly impish smile, "How many times do I have to say it? Do I shout it to the heavens?" Her joking tone made him smile. It was his real smile, not the smile he had used to lure women in and then turned on them so he could kill them. This was John's smile, the smile she had seen when they had been alone together.

"No, just constant reassurance is nice," John smiled in return. He was smiling more and more, a real smile not one laced with malicious intent or evil. Maybe what Nikola had done to him hadn't been too terrible. It gave him Helen back; it gave him his life as it used to be.

"I didn't know you were neurotic." Helen stated but laughed when John nipped at her chin. In this haven he and Helen could be the lovers they once were, but neither of them was eager enough to jump back into bed, not after what happened the last time. At this time they were going to take things slow, an unspoken agreement. It would take time for them to truly trust that deep, intimate part, to the other again, or it would take a while on Helen's part. But she was sure that it wouldn't take her long to place her trust in him again, even after what he had sacrificed for her. That was true commitment, and it must have been hell for John to allow Nikola to do this to him.

**SANCTUARY:**

Will managed to slip back into the Sanctuary only to run into Tesla. His day had not improved. First he walks in on his boss and Jack the Ripper about to get friendly and then he comes face to face with and Ex-Vampire who looked way too pleased with himself. It was kind of creepy. "Whatever you want, I can't help you," Will said hurriedly and pushed passed Nikola only to feel a vise like grip on his arm.

"I just want to know where to find Helen. She should be told that he darling daughter is alive."

Will stopped struggling and just stared at Nikola like he had told him where to find the Holy Grail. "What do you mean Ashley is alive?"

"Exactly that, Ashley is alive. She up in her room right now should you felt he need to check the validity of my claims," Nikola released Will and started to pick dirt out from under his nails.

Will backed away from Tesla and ran for the stairs, and he kept running until he reached Ashley's room. It was there that he saw Henry sitting by his friend. It was Ashley. Will couldn't believe it, but he tried to. She was there on her bed asleep and breathing. Never again would Will take the Abnormal world for granted. He would continue to marvel at its wonders and bask in its miracles. And it was a miracle that Ashley was alive.

"Right now really isn't a good time to go and see them." Will spoke while keeping his eyes on Ashley.

**ABANDONED WAREHOUSE:**

Julia paced in a furious circle cursing Nikola in every language she had learned over her long life. How dare he do this, do this to her. When she found them she would be sure and make him pay in the most painful ways she could devise. She turned to rage some more at Claudius, but her Lord was leaning against a support beam smiling and looking smug. "What are you so happy about?" Her roman accent coming through her anger.

"He did exactly what I foresaw he would do. Nikola did the one thing to make him look good in the eyes of Helen. He would be the one to give her daughter back." Claudius moved away to stand in front of Julia, "That is why, my dear, I am not angry. Nikola did what I knew he would do."

"You could have told me," Julia hissed but her anger quickly evaporated. She wanted to stay angry at him, stay angry at the man who made her what she was, but she didn't have the heart to keep the boiling anger going. Even though she was furious at Nikola, again, she couldn't stay mad at him either. It annoyed her to a point.

"But I love it when you're angry," Claudius replied and offered her a rueful smile that he knew she couldn't resist.

"I hate it when you do that." Julia grumbled and ambled away to stare out one of the windows. "But I still don't understand why he would betray us."

"He loves Helen Magnus; he thinks he always will. In the end the sway of his people, of us, will win him over and he will join us." Claudius left out that he had seen Nikola by Julia's side. To tell that to her would make her more determined to ruin his carefully laid plans. He not only wanted Nikola on their side, but Helen and John as well. John would be a force against any hunter who wanted to kill them and Helen would see them coming. It was the only reason he had given her the gift of sight; his own abilities were waning with age. Soon his time would come and that would leave them alone. Claudius had seen his death and John Druitt would be the one to take his life, this much he had seen. And yet he was still willing to help the man who would kill him. Claudius was merely fate's messenger, and thus he should be bound by its decree. There would be nothing he could do to change his fate so he accepted it and went about making the necessary plans for Julia and for Nikola and for John and Helen.

**HELEN'S LOFT:**

As usual Nikola had not listened when he had been warned. Instead he followed the young Doctor's scent to an abandoned portion of the city and found one floor in use. It had to be where Helen and Druitt were. For a second he debated getting on the elevator and going to the top floor for he wasn't sure what he would find. But his own innate curiosity won out and he was hitting the button for the top floor. He just hoped, prayed even, to what ever divinity was listening that he wouldn't find the woman he loved wrapped in the arms of John the psychopath. Except when he slipped into the pent house loft he was somewhat pleasantly surprised to see them near the window standing slightly together.

They were barely touching and yet the renewed vampire ached to be where John was. At one time they had been friends; all of them, even he and John had been something akin to friends, but that was only because of Helen. Maybe he should smarten up and move on. It was clear that Helen would see him only as a troublesome pain in the ass; which granted he could be like that but it was just his way. Still he would stay in his self imposed Hell and want Helen. He cleared his throat and watched as the turned to him. John looked at him with mild annoyance, but Nikola could still see the edges of pain in his former friend's eyes. Helen, her look was on ice. Clearly she still did not forgive him for damaging, or he would call it fixing, John. Nikola raised his hands in surrender and said, "I have come as the bearer of glad tidings."

John moved foreword slightly only to be stilled by Helen's hand on his arm, "What do you want Nikola?"

"Be careful which words you use next." Helen warned and took her place by his side watching her former vampiric friend who only lived, the last few months, to annoy her day and night.

"Like I said, I bear glad tidings." Nikola took a step back. He was about to take another when he realized that if John wanted to harm him Nikola would barely have time to run. "I have found certain things out from certain people who wish to remain in the dark as it were…"

"Get on with it Nikola." Helen demanded.

"Your beloved Ashley is safe and sound resting in her room at the Sanctuary." Nikola waited for the words of thanks he thought he would receive upon giving them the news that their daughter was alive. But instead he was just met with more hostility.

"If this is a joke Nikola, it is not funny." Helen said in controlled rage. The subject of Ashley was still a raw nerve with her and she would not tolerate anyone, not even Nikola, to touch that nerve.

"I swear to you that it is no jest. She is home, sleeping in her room, and quite alive," What he wasn't prepared for happened next. One minute he was staring at Helen's blue eyes alight with rage and the next he was feeling the pressure of John's hand clamping down on his throat. If he hadn't been made Vampire again his wind pipe might have been crushed and that would have messed up his entire day. As it stood now, Nikola was only mildly annoyed that they did not believe him.

Helen hadn't thought that John would go after Nikola so violently, but she should have known better. Ashley was an even sorer subject with John because he hadn't the chance to get to know his daughter when she had tossed the comment about acting like a father at him last year. "John, let him go." Helen touched his shoulder and John let go of Nikola.

"If this is just another of your tricks…"

"Would I play with your emotions by dangling your daughter in front of you?" Nikola asked.

"For your sake I would hope not," Helen replied and went to gather her jacket and the keys to her penthouse. It also meant that she would have to deal with Declan as well and that was one match she was not looking foreword to right now.

**SANCTUARY:**

Helen and John appeared Helen's bedroom. As she walked towards the door to head out into the hall John stood stock still. He wasn't sure if she wanted him to follow her or wait her. More importantly he wasn't sure how Ashley would feel about seeing him. Then Helen turned back to him and said, "What are you waiting for?" But before he could answer she was out the door and John was following her.

They stopped at the room at the end of the hall opening the door. It was there that they saw the fall of blonde hair and a face they new so well. Ashley was indeed asleep on her bed and dressed in the clothes she had been in when she had teleported through the shield. Helen sucked in a shaky breath as John took her hand. Together they moved into their daughter's room to convince themselves that she was alive.


	7. Chapter 7

Summary: Helen gets a note from Nikola alluding to a gift for her. Only the gift is in the form of a bloody and nearly dead John Druitt with a device in his chest which of Vampiric origins.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary

Rating: M

Pairing: Helen and John.

**SHACKLING THE DEMON:**

John sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of his daughter asleep on her bed. For once Nikola was telling the truth and just this once John was grateful for that. Not that he would tell Nikola that. But there she was, alive, breathing, and sleeping peacefully. At least the Cabal was eliminated; John had made sure of that before this device in his chest took the blatant rage and hate from him. Even now he could feel the hate in the back of his mind but it was running up again a barrier that allowed him to be John Druitt and not the Ripper. It allowed him to be a man, the man Helen loved, and the man who made a beautiful daughter with her. Beside him Helen gripped his hand and leaned on him slightly. Or was he leaning on her. John wasn't sure at the moment. Seeing Ashley there was a shock and a wake up call all at the same time. She was alive and she was here. Ashley was right there in her own bed curled on her side and sleeping soundly. His child was still alive. It pounded in his mind over and over and over. Ashley was alive. Jon reached out and took Helen's hand and laced his fingers with hers.

She couldn't believe it, even though she had hoped and prayed for such and thing to happen. She had wanted Ashley returned with all her heart and soul and now here she was. Seeing Ashley made Helen want to cry not out of sadness, but out of pure unadulterated joy. Her daughter, her child, was home and alive. Taking her hand out of John's, Helen gingerly sat on the edge of Ashley bed and brushed back a lock of her flaxen hair. This was her child, the child she and John created out of love and she was alive. That thought kept careening in her mind over and over. Ashley is alive. Reaching out again Helen caressed her daughter's cheek and waited with baited breath for her to disappear. Rather than wake her up Helen leaned down and kissed Ashley's forehead. Once again she stood beside John and gently tugged him out of the room. The part of her mind that was a doctor saw that Ashley's skin was much too pale and her breathing was shallow. Sleep would be good for her right now.

Out in the hall John turned to Helen and waited, though he wasn't sure what he was waiting for. She kept glancing between him and Ashley's door. It had been a tremendous effort on her part to pull herself from their daughter's side. But Ashley needed rest and Helen had business to attend to. Nikola had to answer some questions.

Helen could sense John's train of thought and knew they were in sync, "I think it's time Nikola answered a few questions, whether he wants to or not."

**HELEN'S OFFICE:**

Nikola waited patiently for Helen and John to find him in her office. The time had come for him to answer questions and it was time he was truthful with her. Nikola only did the things he did because it was who he was and he couldn't help it, but now he knew that it wasn't good enough in Helen's eyes. The one who had no problem with him was Julia. If he didn't know better then he would say that she cared about him and maybe a small part of him who grew tired living Helen was starting to care for her. After all she had given him back the one thing he truly wanted; he was a Vampire again. Then why did he fell so horrid? Maybe because it wasn't Helen who gave him his life back, it had been Julia and he was becoming torn. He was torn out of love for Helen and out of gratitude for Julia, but he wanted more out of his Vampire cohort. Maybe after all this time he wanted someone who loved him in return.

"All right Nikola it's time…"

"I will answer any question you pose to me, my dear Helen." Nikola rose and smiled.

"That was easy," Helen moved from John's side.

"A little too easy, I must say." John agreed and eyes Nikola with suspicion.

"Do you doubt my sincerity?" Nikola splayed his hand over his heart.

"With every breath in my body," John answered.

"Alright, enough. The first question would have to be how you found her?" Helen snapped. John and Nikola still acted like children when they were around her. It was a nightmare. So, instead she got right down to the questions.

"I found her in the company of two Vampires. One is named Claudius and the other is quite alluring female vampire named Julia." Nikola informed.

"Wait… two?" Helen wanted to make sure she heard right. Nikola did say two.

"Yes, I do know how to count Helen." Nikola held up two fingers and wiggled them.

Helen backed away from him and into John's chest. He was there as her rock when she remembered the vision she had had. Nikola had been opposite them; standing with the two other Vampires she had seen, a man and a woman. Nikola was going to side with them, he was going to change sides in the fight she was sure was coming. Yet another fight, a fight she wasn't sure she wanted.

John's arms came around her waist and suddenly everything fell away. Helen was back in her office staring at Nikola and feeling John around her. This was not the day she wanted to have. No, the day she wanted to have was sitting behind her desk looking over reports of Abnormal sighting, deciding where to send Ashley and Will on a mission, and thinking about John and the survival of the human race. That was the day she wanted to have. She didn't want to get glimpses of the future, she didn't want to listen to Nikola posture and preen about how he found Ashley and how he out witted a couple of Vampires. Helen Magnus wanted a somewhat normal day by her standards, and that was something she was never going to get.

If there ever was a time Helen wanted to have a mental break down now was a good time for one. Her daughter was back, held by Vampires for months, Nikola was some how connected to them, John was himself again. This was it, this was her breakdown. She knew it. Helen was long over due for one and this was going to happen now. "I think my mind has finally lost…"

John knew Helen, knew her moods, and knew how to anticipate her shift in nature. He could pick up her mind reeling and knew that if he didn't help her she was going to have a mental breakdown. Taking two strides towards her John pulled her into his arms and just held her, "Just breathe Helen, take a breath and all will be well."

"What can I do?" Nikola asked. He wanted to help Helen, he just didn't know how.

"You can get out." John growled as he held Helen closer to his chest.

"I would think twice before…" Nikola started to warn John when Helen snapped. Her temper was like a lash to his ears. He hated to make her angry, and yet every turn that he made was one more time he made Helen angry.

Helen wrenched herself free of John and snapped, "Both of you can get out!" She wanted his comforting body, his warmth, but if she was to have a breakdown then she did not want and audience.

"Helen…" John started to formulate an argument but was quickly shut down by one frosty glare from Helen.

"Get. Out." She bit off both words with venom and pointed towards the office door. John and Nikola both left. With the door shut Helen sank down onto the couch and let her mind spin in all sorts of directions. She wanted a week to sort everything out, but she didn't have time. Helen never had time. She had eternity and yet there was no time, no personal time.

**OUT IN THE HALL:**

Nikola and John stood together and gazed at the door. They were both in love with the same woman but that woman loved John, both of them knew it. But for right now they didn't quarrel, argue or sniped at each other. Right now the woman they both loved was shocked, in pain, and confused. Rather than stick around John walked off to watch over Ashley.

Every step John took away from Helen's office door was heavy. He didn't want to leave her alone, but she needed her space, and he knew that. But he didn't have to like it. As much as he wanted to be with her John needed to tuck himself away. He felt the first complete build up of the shock that was going to render him unconscious soon. Picking up speed John ran down to the lab and straight into one of the viewing rooms. John slammed the door and was barely in time before the first of many electro-shocks to wrack his body and send him to the floor convulsing. John wanted to scream, howl in pain. But he would not even deem to scream for Nikola; he would not scream now. John rolled from his back to his side and curled up in a ball to try and halt the pain that was internal. The shocks stopped for a moment, just a moment. It was enough for him to catch his breath and prepare for the next assault on the demon in his mind.

John sucked in a deep breath and grit his teeth as another shock wave ripped through his body from the device in his chest. This was the price he was paying to stay with Helen, to be John and not the Ripper. He had to stay sane for Helen; he had to. John's nerve endings felt as if they were on fire, his lungs were chocking on pain, and his mind couldn't process anything other than the agony. His spine bowed and his hands were tightened into fists so tight that his nails bit into the flesh of his palms. John was sure he drew blood. After a few more minutes and the pain passed; John was able to breathe again. John got doggedly to his feet and felt every inch of his body. His muscles ached and his body was in a general riot. But he forced his feet to move. John had to get out of the Lab. He wanted to check on Ashley, check to make sure she was still in the sanctuary, in her own room.

**ASHLEY'S ROOM:**

Ashley surfaced out of the drug sleep she had been kept in for a long time. This time she as safe and sound in her own bed, in her own home. She was home. How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was the sun blinding her eyes and then she slipped back into sleep. But now she was awake and aware that someone was watching her. Turning to her other side quickly Ashley's vision swam, but it was soon back to normal and she saw the last person she thought she was going to see. Sitting in a chair in the corner Ashley saw her father watching her. To her eyes he much different than the last time she saw him; he looked older. "Dad?" her voice was still filled with sleep but Ashley could speak clear enough.

Rather than answer John got up and sat on the edge of the bed facing Ashley. He wasn't sure what to say or do next, but one thing was for certain he wanted nothing more than to hold his daughter in his arms. Giving into that want John pulled Ashley into his arms and rejoiced that she was not a phantom. He smiled when he felt her arms embrace him in return. "Oh, Ashley," John breathed out. He had not the words to convey to her the depth of happiness that he was feeling. She was of his blood, of his flesh, but they lacked the bond of a father and a daughter. It was something he hoped they could develop in time.


	8. Chapter 8

Summary: Helen gets a note from Nikola alluding to a gift for her. Only the gift is in the form of a bloody and nearly dead John Druitt with a device in his chest which of Vampiric origins.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary

Rating: M

Pairing: Helen and John.

**SHACKLING THE DEMON:**

Nikola had left the Sanctuary again and returned to the warehouse to face the wrath of Julia. He knew he had it coming and yet still he returned. It made no sense to him, but then again little things did these days. Nikola was kind of going with the flow, the tone of the day. And today he felt as if someone was waiting to take his head. Stepping through the doors Nikola barely avoided a sward that swung out at him from the dark. He knew it was Julia and she was angry with him. They were going to use Ashley against Helen to worm their way into her good graces and they had used Nikola to do it and he had until he took Ashley home. "Hey now, someone could get hurt…"

"I should cut your head off you miserable mutt!" Julia snarled. And thrust the tip of the blade under Nikola's jaw.

"I only did what my conscience dictated I should do." Nikola tried, but he knew that he would only get so far with lying.

"You have no conscience and you took our one bargaining tool we had against that woman and her Sanctuary."

"Helen and her net work are not our enemies. If you ask her for help she will not deny you." Nikola tried to use reason and logic. "The one thing Helen Magnus hates is…"

"You?" Julia interrupted.

"Ha ha, no. She hates liars." 'Which is what I am,' Nikola thought and for the first time in over a hundred years that knowledge ate at him. He was a liar and a cheat. But he was trying to make things right for everyone, well for Helen and the psychopath, not that he cared about John. Nikola was trying to play both side of the field. He as trying to be the human Helen thought he was and then he was trying to be the Vampire Julia expected him to be. It was confusing and the confusion was an odd sensation for Nikola to feel. He had to admit he hated it. Nikola sighed and turned Julia. Another odd sensation that he was feeling was that he was disappointing Julia. For some reason it was distasteful to him

"Which is what you are." Julia stated. She didn't have to read his thoughts to know that was what he was thinking. The hold that woman had over him was powerful. Julia didn't understand it, and she didn't like it. How could a human hold so much power of one man, let alone two? Julia had seen Helen Magnus the night she had slept in Druitt's arms; the woman was plain in Julia's eyes. Her skin was pale, her hair too dark, but sleeping next to the Ripper she looked almost as fallen as he had. They were eternal lovers bound by pain and sorrow. They would never be free of the other. But Nikola had no claim on her heart. Helen didn't love him. She only thought of him as a friend, a distant friend at that. So, what was it that Tesla saw in her? She was about to ask when Claudius swept into the room. He was looking paler, more his age. If he had not told her that he was dying then she wouldn't believe what her eyes saw. Her teacher, her friend, and her confidant was dying.

"I knew you would take the girl Nikola, very well done." Claudius smiled. All was coming together.

"I'm not your pawn, this is not a game." Nikola protested, but he knew it would do no good. The aged Vampire would do what he pleased; it was ego pure and simple. Nikola knew ego all to well, his was larger than life.

"Then it appears we should up our meeting to tonight." Claudius mused.

**SANCTUARY:**

Helen had lingered at her window, her desk, and finally she returned to the couch, to the exact spot she had been when she had told Nikola and John to leave. She hadn't wanted John to leave, she had wanted to call him back, but her pride stopped her and just the slightest bit of vanity. If she was to have a breakdown she didn't want to have witnesses. A few minutes ago she had gone to the door to see if he was there in the hall waiting for her, but he was no where. What had she expected? She had expected her mind to fracture and send her into a pit of self doubt, but that had not happened. All she could do was yearn for John's arms.

So many things had happened in the last few days, the last few hours. Ashley had still been alive and right under her nose n the very heart of the city. Nikola had been the one to bring her home, not John. But what was she going do? Was she ready to have a breakdown? Was she ready to leave her life's work? Was she ready to change her life? Helen had no answers. For the first time in over a hundred years she had no answers on how to solve her personal problems. She could try avoiding them. She could try pretending they didn't exist. Or she could face them head on and regain her life; all of her life, even if that meant casting John out of her world again. Would she do that much?

Helen looked out the window of her study and for the hundredth time debated leaving and finding John. She had to tell him what was going on inside her mind, the turmoil she was feeling. It was all well and good for her to choose him, and she had in the moment, but now that she was back she was seeing everything that she could potentially lose; all of her work. What right did she have to make that choice on a whim? This as her life's work, her home, how could she give this up for John?

"I see you finally decided to come back." Declan said from the now open doorway.

"What do you want Declan?" She didn't bother to turn around. Helen didn't want to talk to Declan at the moment but she knew she had no choice because he was going to talk anyway, no matter what.

"John Druitt in shackles and on a transport to a more secure facility." He didn't waste time; not with Helen Magnus. Coming around the side of the couch he sat down in front of her and noted that she wouldn't look at him. She kept her eyes transfixed on scenery outside the window.

"There's no need for that any more."

"Really? Who says?" Declan snapped.

"I do, Declan." Helen turned to look at him and for the first time she had contempt for him, contempt for the man who took over James position in London. She was trying to think of a way to keep her network and keep John and he had to come in here and disrupt her.

"And we're supposed to take your word after everything that has happened here?" Declan surged to his feet.

Helen let her anger off its leash just a bit, enough so her words would burn with truth, "Yes, because when all is said and done, you still work for me. This is my network, my life, and I will not let someone like you question me. " Rising to her feet she gazed right into Declan's eyes and he had the good sense to look away.

"Is this a bad time?"

Helen knew that voice, had wanted to hear it for almost a year. She turned and saw Ashley. Her daughter was awake and standing next to John. Helen all but forgot about Declan as she moved away from him and walked towards her daughter. Ashley was awake and she was standing in front of Helen and she was alive. That was all that mattered to Helen; all she cared about right now. The questions that had been flying through her mind in regards to John and the Sanctuary Network didn't matter; all that mattered was Ashley. Reaching out she pulled Ashley into her arms and let the rest of the world fall away. It was only mother and daughter; no one else.

John watched Helen and Ashley and felt his heart clutch in his chest. The last time he had seen either of them embrace was right before his daughter passed out and betrayed them for the Cabal. But he had been seeing them as a monster, not as a man. John saw them as a man. But his sights didn't stay on them. His gaze was drawn to Declan and the furious look her was sending in John's direction. Moving away from his daughter and Helen, John went to stand in front of him. "Is there a problem?"

"Nope, just waiting for you to try and kill us all." Declan shrugged. He should know better than to provoke Jack the Ripper.

"How interesting," John mused. It wouldn't do for him to participate in a conflict with another head of house; not in Helen's own home. That was particularly bad manners.

"It's just a matter of time…"

John moved foreword a few steps and leaned over Declan. He brought his hand up to his shirt and moved aside one of the buttons to expose the metal in his chest, "You see this, this is what is keeping me sane." John backed off and clutched his chest. His legs went weak, but he would not fall to the floor. If it was another shock then he would take it standing up.

**ABANDONED BUILDING:**

"You can't be serious?" Nikola all but shouted.

"I am very serious. I have set out to do what I needed to do." Claudius inclined his head and felt a wave of exhaustion wrack his body. This wasn't the first time that he had felt it and it wouldn't be the last. It was old the herald of his ever hastening death. But he wanted his death to be meaningful.

"Please, my lord, don't do this," Julia implored. She would be lost without her friend and mentor. He was her father and her best friend. He had showed her a world that she would have missed out on so long ago.

"My mind is made up. Julia you will stay here with Nikola and finish work on our last project, while I attend to my final affairs. Tonight the both of you come to the Sanctuary so I can share with you my final good byes." Claudius held up his hands to signal them to be silent. There would be no words powerful enough to change his mind. It was made up and he would stay the course set before his feet. He had to.

"My lord," Julia came over to him and placed her hand on his arm.

"You must stay with Nikola, he still has so much to learn and he will need you guidance and on many an occasion a swift kick to curtail his arrogance. He is still very young." Claudius leaned closer and laid a fatherly kiss to Julia's temple.

"Then I will do as you ask," Julia backed away and once again stood at Nikola's side. Claudius was right. He was very young and needed guidance, much to his personal aversion to it.

Nikola was not adverse to human feelings, vampires felt them as well. For the short time he had been with Claudius and Julia he had grown to care about them; Julia more so. Feeling her need for some measure of comfort Nikola slipped his hand into hers and together they watched Claudius walk out into the sun and turn the corner.

Julia wiped away a stray tear and moved away from Nikola, "He's right… we have work to do." She walked around the curtain and got to work before Nikola could offer some semblance of words of comfort. She had liked him taking her hand; that had felt nice.

**SANCTUARY:**

**HELEN'S OFFICE**

"He should not be set free!" Declan shouted and pointed at John.

"John is in my custody and he will not be set free." Helen answered and looked to John who knew what she meant. He knew it when he had Nikola implant the device in his chest. It was what he wanted. He wanted to be near Helen and that meant he lost his right to ever be set free again should the device prove to be a stop gap measure.

"That man shouldn't be kept here either."

"I'm not leaving," John stated and took one menacing step towards Declan. But it was Ashley and not Helen who put a restraining hand on his arm. "When I came back, like this," John splayed his hand over the device, "I forfeited the right of being free ever again."

Ashley looked from her father to her mother. There was something that had changed between them and she wasn't sure she wanted to know what had changed. But ore than that her father seemed calmer, like he had been when he had kidnapped her.

"He is…"

"John Druitt is in my custody and he will be contained." Helen stood up and faced Declan. "You will leave my home and return to your Sanctuary in London." Her tone was ice and held the hash note of command. Any man would be a fool to ignore her. She watched as Declan lowered his head and moved past her.


End file.
